Meant To Be
by tvdspnlover
Summary: Kali had to suffer through her life with everyone knowing who she was and what her brother had done, but after travelling on the ill fated Oceanic 815, she's just another stranger stranded on a deserted island. She should be focusing on getting off the island, but the mysterious Sawyer keeps grabbing her attention. Is this her second chance or the end? Sawyer/OC
1. The Crash

Kali let out a deep breath, as she attempted to still her leg that had been bobbing up and down for the last few minutes. They had been in the air for six hours now, but it felt like eternity. She hated fearing something as stupid as flying. She looked to her side as she saw the man sitting next to her had managed to flirt his way into getting some small bottles of vodka.

"Are you going to drink all those?" She questioned, as he turned to her and shook his head after a moment.

Before he could say anything else, she had taken one of the bottles from his lap and within mere seconds had downed the contents. She let out a steadier breath, hoping the alcohol would calm her nerves.

"Gorgeous but an alcoholic…there's always baggage these days" The blonde man next to her mumbled.

"I've never flown before" She admitted, not liking the thought of some stranger thinking she was a drunk.

"You don't sound like you come from Australia" The man frowned, noting her English accent.

"I won a cruise to Australia, but I missed my boat. This seemed like the only option…does the air usually seem so stuffy on these?" She queried, squirming a little.

"I think I would have preferred you to have been an alcoholic" He exclaimed.

"Oh, well I'm more than happy to oblige" She replied, as she went to grab another bottle.

"Are you even old enough to drink?" He questioned, holding the bottle away from her.

"I'm 19" She retorted, going to grab the drink again.

"Well this is an Oceanic airline…so that would be a no" The blonde grinned at her, obviously enjoying himself.

"You don't strike me as someone who cares much about the rules" She suggested, giving up trying to get the bottle, as his arms were far longer.

"Are you flirting with me?" The blonds grin widened.

"Maybe in your dreams" She shrugged, sweetly.

Suddenly the plane jerked so hard that Kali almost bashed into the man next to her, who didn't seem too bothered. There was an announcement to put their seatbelts on, which Kali had done the moment she had entered the plane, but she still tugged onto it to make sure it was still tight.

"It's just turbulence" The man told her.

"Right…yeah, totally normal" Kali nodded to herself, as the plan continued to jerk, starting to concern the other passengers.

"Because I'm feeling generous…" He trailed off and passed her the bottle she had been after.

"Well aren't you a gentleman?" She teased.

Before she could even think about opening the bottle, the plane jerked even harder and Kali saw someone a few isles ahead get flung into the air and was mostly likely dead. She let out a scream as she could feel that they were going down. The oxygen masks fell down in front of them, as Kali scrambled to put hers on as she was too short to reach without taking off her seatbelt. The man next to her grabbed hers and placed it in her hands, and she tied it around her face as quickly as she could. They heard a bang from behind them, as Kali looked back and could see the back of the plane was gone. Completely gone. People were getting sucked out of the plane. She gave the blond next to her a terrified look before everything went black.

* * *

Her hearing was the first thing that can back, as she could hear shouts and screams from all around her. Then she realised that she was upside down as she could feel her arms were dangling down. She slowly began to open her eyes, coughing through the fumes that surrounded her. She realised that she was still attached to her seatbelt and began fumbling to take it off. She fell to the ground with a bang and groaned as she sat herself upright. She looked at her limbs for any injuries and realised that she had a large cut across her left leg that she hadn't even registered. She then freaked out when her sight in one of her eyes began to blur but realised that it was due to a liquid dropping onto her eyelid. She rubbed at it with the back of her hand and realised that it was blood. Her blood. She cautiously pushed herself upright, finding herself to be dizzy, but she was able to stand. It was then that she realised that the man that had been sitting next to her was unconscious, not to mention upside down. She grabbed a suitcase and stood on top if it, and then quickly unbuckled his seatbelt. She tried to support his body as he fell, but he was much bigger than her. She dragged him out of the wreckage, suddenly realising where they were. A beach. Not giving it anymore thought, she crouched beside the man and checked his pulse, which was still beating. She then held the side of her face close to his mouth and felt his chest.

"Shit…not breathing" She mumbled, as she quickly pushed him onto his side.

Before she could get him into the recovery position, he was throwing up, as she guessed that was why he hadn't been breathing. His eyes began to flicker open, as he tried to sit up, but she pushed him back down.

"You need to stay on your side…catch your breath" She told him.

"I guess…I guess it wasn't just turbulence" He stated, as she let out a small laugh.

"What's your name?" She questioned, realising she had never asked.

"…Sawyer" He replied, after taking a few seconds.

"My names Kali. Does it hurt anywhere? Does it feel like you hit your head?" She asked him, as he shook his head.

"No…no. I think I just passed out" Sawyer admitted.

"Help! Please help me!" They heard a feminine scream from a few metres away.

Kali lifted her to see a woman clutching her stomach…a very pregnant stomach. She rushed over to her and crouched down in front of the scared woman.

"Help me" She cried, as she gripped onto Kali's arms.

"Is it the baby?" Kali questioned, as the woman frantically nodded.

"I'm having contractions…oh god, I'm not even eight months" The woman sobbed.

"How far apart are they?" Kali inquired.

"I…I don't know, a few just happened" The woman told her.

"How long has it been since you woke up?" She asked.

"Um…maybe 15 minutes" The woman replied.

"Okay, how many contractions is a few?" Kali went on.

"Uh, two I think. Yeah, two" The woman informed her.

"Have your waters broke?" Kali queried.

"No" The woman shook her head.

"Okay…you might not be in labour. But even if you are it looks like really early stages. If the contractions get less than a few minutes apart…that's when we need to worry" Kali explained.

"Do you think my baby's going to be okay?" The woman asked, with pleading eyes.

"I…Just focus on your breathing okay? If this is just you panicking, breathing nice and deep should sort it out, alright? Deep breaths" Kali suggested, avoiding the subject.

"Okay…okay" The woman nodded.

"Let's get you away from this wreckage" Kali said, as she helped her to stand up.

She placed her down beside the man she now knew as Sawyer, who was sitting upright and looked much better than he had ten minutes ago.

"Have you had anymore contractions?" Kali asked, as the woman shook her head.

"Okay…are you going to be alright here? I need to see if I can help anyone else" Kali told her.

"You a doctor, or something?" Sawyer inquired.

"Student nurse" Kali answered, as she stood up and searched the area for anyone else who needed help.

She quickly spotted two men on the other side of the wreckage who seemed to be disagreeing with how to do CPR. She was about to walk over to them when someone grabbed her by the hand and pulled her to the ground. Before she could say anything there was a massive explosion, which she was shielded from by a large body that covered her and the pregnant woman.

"Thanks" She mumbled, when she realised that it was Sawyer, who had protected them both from the blast.

He seemed irritated by this and took his muscular arm away from her side. She didn't dwell on this and ran over to the pair who were performing CPR.

"Hey, you need a break?" Kali asked, sitting on the other side of the woman.

"Are you a proper first aider?" The man inquired, giving the blue-eyed man next to him a glare.

"I know first aid, man" The other one insisted.

"Student nurse" She replied, as the man gave her a grateful smile as she got in position to take over.

They continued swapping every few minutes, so that neither of them would get too tired and soon enough the woman came spluttering back to life.

"Deep breaths. Take some deep breaths" He ordered the woman.

"It's okay, your going to be alright" Kali soothed the confused woman.

"Good work…?" The man stated, fishing for a name.

"Kali. And you?" She inquired.

"Jack. Doctor" He responded.

"I should have known from the suit" She joked.

Their attention was quickly brought to a sound from behind them, as they saw that one of the wings of the plane looked like it was about to crash down…onto the pregnant lady and a large man who was trying to help her.

"Oh no" Kali gasped, as Jack began to run over to warn the pair.

She was about to follow him when she spotted a young boy holding a leash, who was far too close to the wing for comfort. She took off in his direction, yelling at him to run but he didn't seem to understand why. Without a second's thought, she picked him up and began to carry him away. They were both pushed to the ground by the force of another explosion due to the wing collapsing.

"Hey, are you okay?" She asked the scared boy.

"Yeah…have you seen my dog?" He questioned, as she laughed.

"Sorry kid. It's not been on my list of priorities" She told him, as she sat up.

"Walt! Oh my God, are you alright?" A man cried, as he ran over and hugged the boy.

"You his dad?" Kali asked, as he nodded after a few seconds.

"Thank you. Thank you so much…I saw him over there, but I couldn't get to him quick enough and then-" Kali cut off the frantic man.

"He's safe now" She insisted

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I've just started watching Lost, and I really like it so I thought I'd see if anyone was interested in this fanfic. Please leave a review if you want more chapters:)


	2. Day One

A little while later, everyone who could be saved had been, and Kali finally allowed herself to sit down on the beach, feeling the adrenaline from the day quickly slipping away. She looked down at her leg and grimaced suddenly feeling the pain much more. She split open her trousers and sighed when she realised why that was. She had a bit of glass lodged into her leg, it was only small but every time she moved it hurt.

"That looks nasty" A voice boomed from above her.

She squinted as she looked up to see it was Sawyer, who she hadn't even heard approach her.

"Do you still have that bottle from earlier?" Kali queried.

"I thought you weren't an alcoholic" He replied.

"I thought you were trying to be a gentleman?" She retorted, the bottle being lowered to her eyesight a few seconds later.

She took the bottle from his hand and opened it up, pouring a little onto her hands and then some more onto the wound on her leg. She couldn't stop the hiss that left her mouth, finding it hurt more than she had expected. Sawyer had sat down next to her as he watched her clear away the dried blood on her leg to get a better look at the glass.

"I don't suppose you have a bandage as well?" Kali questioned.

"No…but I can improvise" Sawyer exclaimed, as he ripped off one of the sleeves of his long top.

"I don't know if it's really my colour" She laughed, as she took the cloth from him and wet it in the alcohol.

"Maybe you should get the doctor to…" Sawyer trailed off, as she suddenly ripped the glass out of her leg.

"Jesus…" She mumbled, as she quickly placed the cloth over her thigh and began tying it around.

"Well aren't you brave, lifesaver?" Sawyer said, an impressed tone to his voice.

"Oh right, because all girls faint at the sight of blood?" Kali responded, raising an eyebrow.

Before Sawyer could say anything, they heard a gasp from in front of them, as the large man from before held what looked like food in his hand. Without warning, he dropped to the ground, face first, most likely having seen the whole thing.

"Well that's just embarrassing" Kali grimaced, as she pushed the man onto his side.

"Case and point" Sawyer grinned.

* * *

Kali had stayed with the man until he woke up, about ten minutes later, while Sawyer had wandered off down the beach.

"Wow, you really just fell down like a sack of potatoes" Kali laughed.

"Is that a joke about my weight?" The man rolled his eyes.

In response, Kali held up the dish she had been eating, which contained a large amount of potatoes and raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry…is your leg…okay?" He asked.

"It's still attached, don't worry. What's your name?" Kali queried.

"Hurley. You?" He replied, holding out his hand for her to shake.

"Kali…thanks for the food by the way" Kali smiled at him.

"No problem, man. Just maybe do that…stuff in private" Hurley advised, as Kali nodded, trying not the laugh.

The smile on her face quickly died when they heard a horrific clanging sound from the forest, which made Kali almost jump out of her skin.

"What the hell was…?" She cut herself off, when there was another clanging sound.

She looked towards the forest and saw that numerous trees were being pushed over, as if there was some invisible giant standing on them.

"Should we be running?" Kali suggested, as they all heard a large horn blare.

"I think…I think we're alright on the beach" Hurley mumbled, seeing as the trees nearest the beach seemed unaffected.

"You better hope so, because there's no chance you could outrun it" Sawyer announced, coming up from behind them.

Hurley glared at Sawyer before walking towards the pregnant woman that Kali now knew was Claire. She could tell Hurley was still worried about her, he seemed to feel partly responsible for what happened to Claire now.

"Rude, much?" Kali scolded.

"I just speak the truth, sweetheart" Sawyer shrugged, as the clanging continued.

"What do you think it is out there?" She questioned.

"Maybe an animal" He responded.

"I don't know where you've been living, but I've never heard an animal sound like it" She exclaimed, a worried look on her face.

* * *

The next morning, everyone was questioning what was in the forest, but it was clear that they weren't going to be able to figure it out without investigating. She had heard that Jack was collecting people to go search for the cockpit to get a transceiver and offered to tag along.

"No. No way" Jack shook his head.

"Oh c'mon, why not?" She whined.

"You have an injured leg, we need you here to look after the injured and…you're too young" Jack retorted.

"There it is" She rolled her eyes, knowing that was the real reason.

"It's dangerous…whatever was in the forest last night might still be there" A woman with brown hair and freckles pointed out.

"All the more reason for me to come. Safety in numbers" Kali insisted.

"It's non-negotiable" Jack told her, as Kali sighed.

"Hey, maybe when your leg is better?" The woman from before smiled at her.

"You think we're going to be here that long?" Kali frowned.

"I hope not" The woman mumbled, but Kali could tell it wasn't quite true.

"What's your name?" Kali asked.

"Kate…your Kali, right? The nurse?" Kate inquired.

"Student nurse. Emphasis on the student" Kali replied.

"Um, if the guy in the suit wakes up…just…never mind" Kate shook her head, before walking away.

Kali looked over at the man in question, who had a piece of shrapnel jammed into his stomach and frowned. She wondered why Kate seemed to care about him? A vague memory of seeing them sitting together on the plane hit her. Maybe they were friends, she thought to herself.

* * *

Later that day, Kali was staring out into the ocean, wondering why no rescue team had shown up yet. She had noticed that there had been no planes, no boats, no sign of life had passed by them. It was strange. Her attention was grabbed when she saw Hurley running towards something, as she called after him.

"Hey, what's going on?" She asked.

"Your friend and Sayid are fighting" Hurley panted.

"My friend?" Kali frowned, as she realised who he meant.

"Stop it! Stop it!" She shouted, when she saw the pair brawling on the sand.

Neither of them gave her a second glance, as she groaned and went to take a step forward.

"Don't get in the middle of this, kid" Walt's dad, that she now knew as Michael warned her.

"Thanks, but I can handle myself" She retorted, to his condescending tone.

"Cut it out!" She yelled, as she picked up a large wad of sand and threw it into the men's faces.

"Jesus, what the hell?" Sawyer groaned, as he rubbed his eyes.

"Why did you do that?" The other man, who she guessed was Sayid exclaimed.

"To try and knock some sense into you idiots" Kali remarked.

"I'm sick of this redneck!" Sayid shouted, about to leap back onto Sawyer.

"Hey! Don't even try it!" Kali told him, as he got up into her personal space.

"What the hell is going on?!" A voice suddenly yelled.

They all turned to see Jack standing there, the others from his group all looking dishevelled.

"Yes, why don't you tell them, redneck?" Sayid insisted, throwing his hand in the air and almost hitting Kali.

"You want some more of me, boy?" Sawyer goaded.

This seemed to set Sayid off as he leapt forward about to hit Sawyer, but Kali pushed him backwards. He glared at her angrily, having to restrain himself from retaliating.

"Are you really going to hit a kid?" Jack exclaimed, standing in front of her.

"I'm an adult, jackass" Kali groaned.

"Nice" Sawyer mumbled, at the nickname.

"Thanks, I thought it was pretty good" Kali grinned at him.

"You turned nineteen a week ago, you can't even buy a drink yet" Jack pointed out.

"You said you were almost 20" Sawyer said, raising an eyebrow.

"What's eleven months difference?" She shrugged.

"If we could get back to the incident at hand…what were you fighting about?" Jack queried.

"He thinks I crashed the plane" Sayid announced.

"If the shoe fits buddy" Sawyer glared.

"Look, my kid found this in the jungle" Michael informed them, holding out some handcuffs.

"And this guy was sitting in the back row of business class the whole flight. Never got up. Hands folded underneath a blanket. And for some reason, just pointing this out, the guy next to him didn't make it" Sawyer explained, as Kali held onto his arm to stop him from going for Sayid again.

"Thank you so much for observing my behaviour" Sayid commented, which Kali found a little funny.

"You don't think I saw them pull you out of line before we boarded?" Sawyer questioned.

"That's enough!" Kali insisted, getting in between the pair once again.

"He could just be crossing the damn street and be pulled out of line, that's racism not suspicious behaviour. And you need to calm down" Kali explained, as both men put their hands up.

"She's right. Look, we found the transceiver but it's not working. Can anybody help?" Kate asked.

"…Yes. I might be able to" Sayid offered.

"Oh great. Perfect. Let's trust this guy" Sawyer yelled.

"Hey, we're all in this together man. Let's treat each other with a little respect" Hurley suggested.

"Shut up, lardo" Sawyer mocked.

"Seriously? Are you trying to alienate everyone?" Kali questioned.

"Whatever, lifesaver. Put your trust in that guy, see where it gets you" Sawyer told her.

"Your friend is one serious hothead" Hurley stated.

"He's just the guy I was sitting to on the plane…he's not my friend" Kali replied.

"Oh…huh. I thought you guys had known each other for a while" Hurley admitted, as this seemed to surprise the rest of the group too.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Unsurprisingly, there's going to be a fair bit of angst in this story, as you can expect with Sawyer, haha. As Kali get's to know him better, we'll see her understand why he is the way he is better. Please leave a review so I know you're interested in this story:)

farrahjohnson21: Thank you so much for this review, I'm so glad to see someone likes this story:) I hope you like this chapter!


	3. Polar Bear

Kali soon heard that Sayid and Kate were planning to go on a hike to higher ground to try to get the transceiver working and hoped they would allow her to join. She wasn't nearly as desperate as the others to get back to civilisation, but there was something about the island that unnerved her. It felt wrong somehow.

"Hey, let's get going" Kali announced, as she walked up to the pair, a rucksack that she had packed a few minutes before on her back.

"It's nice of you to offer-" Kate started, but Kali cut her off.

"What if something happens to one of you on the hike? You fall, break your leg? Are you going to know what do? No. I'm coming" Kali insisted.

"What about your own leg?" Sayid questioned, looking at the makeshift bandage that was still over her thigh.

"It's just a scratch" She dismissed.

"It's going to be dangerous…there are things out there" Kate went on.

"Look, there is a guy here who is going to die soon enough if he doesn't get to a hospital. And I'm pretty sure that tally is going to start to rise. I don't want to see that happen" Kali explained.

"…Alright, but if we tell you to run. You run" Kate told her, as she nodded.

"Um, I'm sorry about earlier by the way. It wasn't personal" Kali informed Sayid.

"Maybe I was being a little rash" Sayid confessed.

"Truce?" Kali asked, holding out her hand.

"Yes. Truce" Sayid agreed, shaking her hand.

"I'd like to come with you" A feminine voice announced from behind them.

"She's not going. She doesn't want to go" The blue-eyed man from the day before argued.

"The hell I'm not" She retorted.

"This is what she does. She makes really bad decisions to mess with her family, which at the moment is me" The man exclaimed.

"Shut up and stop trying to be charming. I'm coming with you" The blonde spat out.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea" Kate stated.

"What are you, two years older than me? And your letting this girl go? She's younger than me!" The blonde insisted.

"I have a name...and thank you for pointing out something that no one was aware of" Kali rolled her eyes, making Sayid snigger a little.

"You're going, aren't you?" The blonde asked another man who had suddenly turned up.

"Yep. Are you?" The man with an English accent replied.

"Yep" The blonde told him.

"Yeah, I'm definitely going" The man grinned.

"Look everyone can come, but we're leaving now" Kate pointed out, as she walked away.

"You couldn't tell from that but she's actually really nice" The English man suggested.

"Thank God I'm not the only English person on this island" Kali grinned.

"These Americans can get a bit much sometimes, can't they?" The man joked, making Kali laugh.

"I'm Kali, what's your name?" Kali queried.

"Charlie. You might have heard of me? I was in Drive Shaft" He exclaimed.

"Right…is that some sort of group?" Kali frowned.

"It's a band. Pretty famous actually" Charlie insisted.

"And I'm Boone, by the way. Nice to meet you" The blue-eyed man informed her.

"The lifeguard, right?" Kali suggested.

"Yeah…not that Jack seems to think much of that" Boone mumbled.

"Well trying to do CPR is better than doing nothing at all. Doctor's are just a little bit…dramatic. You'll get used to it" Kali told him.

Sawyer saw her and the rest of the group walking off towards the jungle and put the letter that he had been looking over for the past ten minutes back into his pocket. He noticed how Kali was already slightly limping and couldn't see how she was going to make it all the way up the mountain. With a sigh, he got up and began to follow them.

"The Doc's gonna' be awful mad when he hears you've gone on this hike" Sawyer announced, as he caught up with her.

"Right, and I suppose that's why your joining us? So you don't want to have to deal with his fury?" Kali suggested.

"Maybe…I'm a complex guy, sweetheart" Sawyer replied.

"Hey, wait up! Look, I'm sorry about before. We're all just stressed, I didn't mean to get mad at you" She told him.

"You didn't do anything wrong" He pointed out.

"I know that, but you're never going to apologise, are you? So, I thought I'd take the first step. Be the mature one" She explained.

"What makes you think I wasn't just about to apologise?" Sawyer retorted.

"Were you?" She asked.

"Guess we'll never know now" He grinned at her, as she laughed.

"You're a dick...but you're ok, Sawyer" She told him, a small smile on her face.

* * *

The climb up the mountains was a lot more difficult than anyone had expected, as the only thing they had to hold onto most of the time were flimsy tree roots. After a couple of hours, Kali's leg was really starting to ache, but she didn't want to slow down the group. They needed to get to the top before it got dark or they would never be able to see where they were going. Sawyer took the lead as he was the tallest in the group and this meant that he was able to reach things the others wouldn't be able to. Kali let out a sigh when she saw that the nearest tree roar to her was over a metre above her head and there was no way to reach it without jumping. She looked behind her and gulped when she saw the ominous fall that could soon be greeting her. A moment later, there was a hand near her face, as she looked up to see Sawyer ushering for her to grab onto it.

"C'mon. I won't let you fall" Sawyer told her, more serious than she had ever seen him before.

Taking a deep breath, she placed her hand in his, as he helped pull her up to the tree roots. She was amazed that he was able to hold pretty much her entire weight with just one arm and gave him a grateful nod.

"Show off" She grinned at him, as he gave her a cheeky smile.

Once they made it to flat ground, and the adrenaline of the climb began to wear off, Kali realised just how badly her leg was hurting. She looked down to see that blood had started to seep through the bandage. She didn't want to tell the others, it would just show that they were right not to want her to come. However, Sawyer had noticed her beginning to slow down and how much worse her limp had gotten. He guessed she was too stubborn to say anything.

"Okay, wide open space. We should check the radio, see if we're good" Sawyer suggested, thinking it was the best way to get them to stop.

"We're not going to get any reception out here" Sayid responded, and continued walking.

"Just try it" Sawyer exclaimed.

"Sawyer, it's fine" Kali told him, as she guessed why he wanted to stop.

"I don't want to waste the batteries" Sayid reasoned.

"I'm not asking you to keep it on all day" Sawyer pointed out.

"We're still blocked by the mountain" Sayid explained.

"Just check the damn radio!" Sawyer insisted.

"If I just check we might not have any juice left-" Sayid yelled but was cut off by a roar.

"Oh my God" Shannon squealed, as they heard a rustling from the bushes.

"What the hell's that?" Boone gulped.

"Something's coming" Kate mumbled.

"It's coming towards us, I think" Charlie pointed out, as they could hear it getting closer.

"Okay, let's run. Let's go!" Kali shouted, as she gestured for everyone to run in the opposite direction.

"I shouldn't have come on this" Shannon cried, and began to scream as Boone grabbed her.

Kali was about to follow her when she realised that Sawyer hadn't moved.

"What are you doing? We need to go!" Kali exclaimed.

"I've got this" Sawyer replied, as he suddenly pulled out a gun from the waistband of his jeans.

"We don't know what that thing is. You're going to get yourself killed!" Kali told him, grabbing his arm and trying to make him leave.

"I'm not running…You should go" He informed her and raised the gun.

"Well with Shannon screaming like that…I expect it will probably just pass us and chase after her" Kali gulped, as she could see it was close now.

Sawyer began to fire a few shots at the oncoming creature but was completely missing. Once the creature was only a few hundred metres away, Kali suddenly grabbed the gun from him and shot the creature head on, as it dropped to the ground, only a few metres away. Sawyer stared at her in shock, surprised that she knew how to handle a gun so well.

"That's…that's a big bear" Shannon stated, as the others came back.

"Guys…this isn't just a bear. It's a polar bear" Kate realised, as they all frowned.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I think it will be really interesting to see how Kali being a character could change the storyline of this show, and especially Sawyer's story. Please leave a review and tell me what you think of this story:)

farrahjohnson21: Aw, thank you so much for this review! I was surprised by how little Sawyer/OC fics there are, so hopefully this will give people their Sawyer fix, haha. Jack's definitely a bit silly and overdramatic sometimes. I'm really glad you like my work:)


	4. Transmission

"That can't be a polar bear" Boone shook his head.

"It's a polar bear" Sayid and Kate both said at the same time.

"Yeah, but...Polar bears don't usually live in the jungle" Shannon stated.

"Spot on" Charlie mumbled, sarcastically.

"Surely this climate is too hot for it to survive in for long" Kali suggested.

"Exactly, polar bears don't live near this far south" Sayid pointed out.

"This one does" Boone frowned.

"Did. It did" Sawyer smirked.

"Where did that come from?" Kate questioned, gesturing to the gun that Kali was still holding.

"Probably Bear Village. How the hell do I know?" Sawyer argued, even though he knew what she meant.

"Not the bear. The gun" Kate rolled her eyes.

"I got if off one of the bodies" Sawyer replied.

"People don't carry guns on planes" Shannon stated.

"They do if they're a US Marshal, sweet cheeks. There was one on the plane" Sawyer informed them.

"How do you know that?" Kate asked.

"I saw a guy lying there with an ankle holster, so I took the gun. I thought it might come in handy. Guess what? I just shot a bear!" Sawyer exclaimed.

"Well I was the one who killed it…but now is probably not the time…" Kali trailed off, when everyone gave her a look.

"So why do you think he's a Marshal?" Kate questioned Sawyer.

"Because he had a clip-on badge. I took that too. Thought it was cool" Sawyer added, holding it up as proof.

"I know who you are. You're the prisoner" Sayid announced.

"I'm the what?" Sawyer frowned.

"You found a gun on a US Marshal. Yes, I believe you did. You knew where it was, because you were the one he was bringing back to the States. Those handcuffs were on you. That's how you knew there was a gun" Sayid explained, as Kali noticed Kate turned away from the conversation.

"Piss off" Sawyer shouted.

"That's who you are, you son of a bitch" Sayid growled.

"Can you two stop fighting for two seconds?" Kali rolled her eyes, but neither listened to her.

"Be as suspicious of me as I am of you" Sawyer told him.

"But you are the prisoner" Sayid insisted.

"Fine! I'm the criminal. You're the terrorist. We can all play a part" Sawyer mocked.

"Alright, that's enough! Look, I know none of us know each other, and we all have our guard up. But this isn't helping. We don't even know if the US Marshal actually a prisoner had, do we?" Kali pointed out to Sayid.

"The handcuffs-" Sayid started, but she cut him off.

"Weren't found on anyone, were they? He's going to be carrying them around even if he doesn't have a prisoner. And you need to stop being racist asshole, Sawyer. You're just proving him right and making yourself look more suspicious" Kali insisted to Sawyer.

"Yes, Ma'am. You're the one with the gun now" Sawyer said, giving her a mock salute.

Kali then proceeded to release the magazine and the round that was still in the chamber, as Sawyer raised an eyebrow at this.

"Where did you learn to do that?" He couldn't help but ask.

"…My brother taught me" She replied, as she handed Sayid the magazine and round, and gave the gun back to Sawyer.

"Right, now if we need to use the gun, you two chuckleheads are actually going to have to work together" Kali gave them a grin.

As the others began to walk off, Kali came up beside Sawyer as he was placing the gun back into his waistband.

"Aren't you going to thank me?" She asked.

"For disarming me? Unlikely" He huffed.

"For saving your life" Kali pointed out.

"I had it" Sawyer mumbled.

"Well I guess we'll never know now" Kali smirked, repeating the same words he had said earlier, making him smile lightly.

* * *

Soon enough they were able to get to higher ground, and Sayid decided to turn the radio on. To everyone's relief he was able to get a bar. However, their joy was short lived when Shannon listened to a transmission that the radio picked up. Sayid counted to the amount of times it had been playing, and to Kali's horror, it had been 16 years. How could someone go missing for that long, she wondered.

"It's getting dark" Boone stated, as they continued down the mountain.

"Then pick up the pace" Sawyer retorted.

"Hick" Boone mumbled, thinking that Sawyer wouldn't hear him.

"Little louder?" Sawyer dared him, as Kali got in between them.

"Please don't you start too" Kali grumbled at Boone.

"We should make camp" Sayid suggested.

"What, here?" Shannon questioned, grimacing at their grassy surroundings.

"Yes, here" Sayid replied.

"I'm not stopping. Y'all have a nice cookout" Sawyer called back.

"Excellent, walk through the jungle in the dark" Sayid warned him.

"Oooo, afraid the trees are going to get us?" Sawyer mocked him.

"No, what is knocking down the trees will get you" Sayid pointed out.

"Or any wild animal that decides he wants to try some Southern delicacy" Kali added.

"Well, if you're so worried about me, how about you give me the clip back?" Sawyer inquired, pulling out his gun.

"If you use that thing in the dark all you're going to do is shoot yourself in the foot" Kali stated, raising an eyebrow.

"Kali's right, if you keep walking you're not going to make it to the beach" Kate told him.

"Yeah, why's that?" Sawyer asked, as Kali noticed Charlie look away.

"…Trust me" Kate sighed, as she informed them exactly what had happened when she, Jack and Charlie had gone into the forest.

* * *

Kali shivered lightly, as she looked into the fire that they had managed to build, but it wasn't because of the cold. Knowing that there was a humongous unseen creature strolling around the jungle was enough to put anyone on edge. She jumped when Sayid stood up suddenly and held up a branch that he lit on fire.

"This is Australia…This is us" Sayid began, indicating to a nearby rock and then the stick.

"Nice stick" Sawyer mumbled, as Kali nudged him with a roll of her eyes.

"Two days ago we take off from Sydney. We fly along the same north east route every commercial airliner bound for Los Angeles does. Now the pilot, he said he lost communication with the ground, correct?" Sayid asked.

"Yeah, 6 hours in. He turned around and headed for Fiji" Kate answered.

"So, we changed course. Regrettably, no one knew we changed course. The turbulence hit. We know the rest" Sayid explained, as he extinguished the torch.

"But what was that turbulence? Why did we lose communication? Is that connected or just a coincidence?" Kali insisted.

"I don't believe in coincidence" Kate mumbled.

"They'll find us thought, right? They have satellites in space that can take pictures of your license plate" Charlie theorised.

"If only we were all wearing license plates" Sayid pointed out.

"Well, aren't you the pessimist" Charlie grumbled.

"Basic photography - point and shoot. Satellites can shoot, but they must be told where to point" Sayid exclaimed.

"Oh. Bollocks" Charlie frowned.

"Okay, really enjoyed the puppet show. Fantastic. But we're stuck in the middle of damn nowhere. How about we talk about that other thing? You know that transmission Abdul picked up on his little radio? The French chick that said, "They're all dead." The transmission's been on a loop for…how long was it?" Sawyer inquired.

"16 years" Kate replied.

"Right. Let's talk about that" Sawyer insisted.

"How could no one come across this massive island for 16 years? It's impossible" Kali suggested.

"Excellent point, blue eyes" Sawyer stated, as Kali rolled her eyes at yet another nickname.

"Well, we have to tell the others what we heard when we get back" Boone announced.

"You didn't hear anything. I'm not a stupid translator" Shannon argued, doubting her abilities.

"No one's going to tell them anything. To relay what we heard without fully understanding it will cause a panic. If we tell them what we know we take away their hope. And hope is a very dangerous thing to lose" Sayid explained.

"They have a right to know the truth. I'd want to know" Kali frowned.

"Not everyone can handle such a thing" Sayid pointed out.

"So we lie" Kate sighed.

Kali bit her lip, not happy with what had been decided, but she didn't want to alienate herself from the group. She needed to fit in, she couldn't let anyone grow suspicious about her. The group quickly settled down to sleep, but Kali knew there was no point in her even trying. She was too alert, too scared of what could be about to jump out from the shadows. She shivered again, this time from the cold. A moment later she felt something being draped around her shoulders, and looked up to see Sawyer walking away, wordlessly. She couldn't hide the smile on her face, as she brought the blanket over her shoulders.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I've just finished watching Season 1 of Lost, it's even better than I expected. How do you guys like Kali and Sawyer? Please leave a review:)

s-nnnn: Thank you so much for this review! I was literally just about to upload this chapter when I saw that you left a review, so I thought I'd reply now. I'm really glad you're liking this story so far. I actually decided to start writing this story as there was a surprising lack of Sawyer fanfics. Don't worry your English is absolutely fine, haha.


	5. The First Death

"What are you doing?" Kali heard a shout from nearby, as she shot up from where she had been sleeping.

She rubbed her eyes as she saw Boone was standing there holding the gun, with an angry looking Sayid.

"Standing guard. You heard what they said is out there" Boone pointed out.

"You took my gun off me, boy?" Sawyer growled.

"Please, you've never even held a gun. He doesn't believe in guns. He's goes on marches" Shannon mocked him.

"I don't go on marches" Boone retorted.

"Give it back to me" Sayid insisted.

"Yeah, give it to Al Jazeera, he'll protect us" Sawyer argued.

"Al Jazeera is a network" Charlie mumbled.

"I'll keep the damn gun" Boone told them.

"We should give it to her" Shannon suggested, ushering over to Kali.

"What, me?" Kali frowned.

"Yeah, Kali should hold the gun" Charlie nodded.

"Um, no thanks" Kali retorted.

"You know how to use it, which makes you more qualified than Boone. Your less likely to kill us all than, Sawyer. And everyone thinks you're more trustworthy than me-" Sayid explained.

"Don't I get a say in this? I don't want it…we should give it to Kate. I trust her" Kali exclaimed.

"Fine with me" Sayid shrugged, as Boone reluctantly handed over the gun.

"Now can we all get back to sleep" Kali rolled her eyes, as she settled back down to sleep.

If they knew who she was they wouldn't want her anyone near the gun. The damn irony, she thought to herself. She noticed Sawyer staring at her and hoped that he didn't find her insistence strange.

* * *

"Why did you suggest I have the gun?" Kate cornered her when they got back to camp.

"You seem like a smart woman" Kali shrugged.

"Smart enough to know that's bullshit" Kate replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Do you really want me to say it?" Kali sighed.

"Say what?" Kate frowned.

"I know that you were the one the Marshall was escorting…and I know that you've done something terrible. I reckon probably killed someone" Kali whispered.

"I don't know-" Kate started, but Kali cut her off.

"I'm smart enough to know bullshit too, Kate. Look, I'm not going to tell anyone. Your secret is safe with me" Kali explained.

"I don't understand, why would you want me to have a gun if you know…who I am?" Kate questioned.

"Because it means that you won't be afraid to use it. Sawyer's a loose cannon, Sayid will probably shoot Sawyer, Boone would shoot himself in the foot, Shannon would just drop it and run, and Charlie…he's too twitchy" Kali went on.

"Then why not you?" Kate queried.

"…I don't like guns" Kali mumbled.

"You seem to know how to use them" Kate pointed out.

"Why do you think I don't like them?" Kali said, raising an eyebrow.

"…Well, thank you. For keeping this a secret" Kate replied.

"No problem" Kali shrugged, as she started to walk away.

"Making friends, blue eyes?" She heard a familiar voice a few seconds later.

"Is that name going to stick?" Kali questioned.

"It's the front runner" Sawyer smirked, as he came up beside her.

"Maybe you should try making some friends…you never know, you might like it" Kali mocked.

"Sounds boring" Sawyer responded, as suddenly a downpour of rain began.

"Shit" Kali grumbled, as she ran for cover under some nearby tarp.

Sawyer followed close behind her, but they were both soaking wet by the time they were under cover. Kali quickly allowed her eyes to roam over Sawyer's muscular frame that was on show due to his shirt clinging to his body but forced her eyes away when he looked over at her.

"You know I can't put my finger on it…why you were so adamant about not having that gun" Sawyer couldn't help but say a moment later.

"It's a lot of responsibility" Kali dismissed.

"You said your brother taught you how to use a gun…you got some bad memories that come with that, huh?" Sawyer tried to dig deeper.

"That's none of your business" Kali retorted.

"Just making conversation" Sawyer mumbled, as he went to walk off.

"…I got shot. That's why I don't like guns" Kali exclaimed, as he stopped in his tracks.

"Who shot you?" Sawyer asked.

"You're not getting that out of me" Kali told him.

"Alright, story for another day" Sawyer suggested, as they drifted into a comfortable silence.

* * *

Kali cringed as she heard another agonising cry from the US Marshall who they all knew was slowly dying. She could see Kate not far away looking into the fire intently, obviously trying to ignore the screams. The only reason the man was there was because of Kate, and they both knew it.

"You must be happy to have given the gun to her now. We all knows what's got to be done, and the only one who can do it is the one with the gun" Sawyer announced, from where he was sat beside her.

"There are other ways to kill people than with a gun" Kali suggested, as Sawyer raised an eyebrow.

"Well aren't you cheery tonight" Sawyer stated.

"Those cries aren't getting to you?" Kali responded.

"Nothing I can do about them" Sawyer shrugged, as they both noticed Kate walking over to them.

"Can I talk to you? Alone?" Kate questioned, indicating to Sawyer.

"…Fine, fine. I'll take the spot at your fire" Kali sighed, as she stood up and began to walk away, curious about what Kate wanted to talk about, but she was too tired to put up a fight.

Her eyes shot open when she heard a deafening gun shot and realised at some point she must have drifted off to sleep. She was on her feet in an instance, thinking that they might have been under attack.

"What's happened?" Kali shouted at Hurley, who looked as confused as her.

It was then that they both saw Sawyer exiting the tent that the US Marshall had been in, the gun in his hand, as they put two and two together.

"What did you do?" Jack yelled, he sounded so angry that it made Kali jump.

"What you couldn't" Sawyer replied, his voice almost breaking.

"Look, I get where you're coming from being a doctor and all, but he wanted it. Hell, he asked me. So, I don't like it any more than you do, but something had to be done" Sawyer insisted, but it did nothing to quell Jack's anger.

Suddenly they heard a choking sound from the tent, as Kali gasped, realising that the US Marshall was still alive. She rushed past both men and sat down beside the man, who had a gaping wound in his chest.

"You shot him in the chest?" Kali questioned, as Jack rushed in and tried to stop the bleeding.

"I was aiming for his heart" Sawyer mumbled, eyes wide with guilt.

"You missed…You perforated his lung. It'll take hours to bleed out" Jack informed him

"There was…I only had one bullet" Sawyer told him, showing more emotion on his face than Kali had ever seen.

"Get out. Get out!" Jack screamed.

"I didn't…I thought I was helping" Sawyer tried to explain.

"Just go, Sawyer" Kali shook her head, looking away from him.

"If…If I can stop the bleeding…maybe I can create-" Jack started, but Kali cut him off.

"There's no point, Jack. He's suffering. Listen to him" Kali insisted, as the US Marshall grabbed her hand.

"P…Pl…Pl…" He stuttered, blood coming from his mouth.

"How should we…" Jack trailed off.

Kali grabbed the pillow from under the man's head, as Jack realised what she wanted to do.

"I should do it" Jack suggested.

"No. Trust me, you don't want this on your conscience" Kali shook her head.

"And you do?" Jack frowned.

"My conscience hasn't been clean for a long time. Go, you don't want to see this" Kali went on, as Jack reluctantly left the tent.

Sawyer was surprised when he saw Jack leave the tent but could still hear the choking sounds from the US Marshall. His eyes widened when he heard them become muffled a few seconds later, and then stop all together. Kali exited the tent soon after that, a far away look on her face as she started to walk towards the sea. Neither men said anything to her, both too ashamed to even look in her direction.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I'm going to work a bit more on developing Kali's character, as we all hate an OC that's two dimensional. Please leave a review:)

farrahjohnson21: Aw, thank you so much for this review:) Sawyer's pet names are so good, and really imaginative sometimes, I was impressed, haha.


	6. Boars

Things were tense between her and Jack the next day, as he clearly felt guilty about letting her put the US Marshall out of his misery. She understood where he was coming from, but sympathy was a luxury on this island. Most of the camp had assumed that it was Jack who had performed the deed, the idea of the small girl killing someone was too much for them to wrap their heads around. But Sawyer knew. If he hadn't been confused by her before, he sure was now. Kali was clearly upset afterwards, but she didn't act as if she had killed someone. She slept soundly that night. Got up and acted as if it was only Walt's dog that had died, not that she killed someone. Sawyer couldn't understand it. He approached her the next day when he saw her digging a grave, which he assumed was for the US Marshall.

"You need a hand?" He offered, as she nodded.

"Yeah" She replied, giving him a grateful smile.

"You seem to be handling this all pretty well" He couldn't help but say, as he joined in on the digging.

"The killing or the grave digging?" She retorted, grimacing at the almost joke.

"He wanted to die" Sawyer stated.

"I still suffocated him" Kali mumbled.

"Why did you want to do it and not Jack?" He asked.

"It would have eaten him up inside. We need him as a leader" She shrugged, as she continued to dig.

"I could have done it" Sawyer offered, far too late.

"There's a big difference between pulling the trigger five feet away and pushing a pillow down on a man's face until he stops breathing" Kali pointed out.

"That's a pretty dark train of thought, sunshine" Sawyer exclaimed, as she shrugged.

Soon enough they had dug a hole that they hoped was deep enough and had placed the US Marshall inside, and began to bury him. Kali had made a cross from pieces of wood a few hours earlier, hoping that one day they would be able to bring his family there, so they could say goodbye.

"His name was Edward Mars" A feminine voice announced, as Kali stuck the cross in the ground.

"How'd you know that?" Sawyer frowned.

"I found his passport" Kate responded, as Kali began to carve the name into the wood.

* * *

"So…does anyone want to say anything?" Kali questioned, as she stood up.

"Sorry for shooting you in the chest" Sawyer exclaimed.

"Emotional speech, Sawyer. Thanks for that" Kali rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry this happened to you and-" Kate started, but was cut off by another voice.

"And that we couldn't save you" Jack finished, walking over to them.

"Rest in peace, Edward" Kali sighed, as the sun started to go down.

Sawyer was surprised when he saw Kali approach him that night, after everyone else had fallen asleep. He raised an eyebrow at her, as she crouched down beside him.

"Can't sleep?" He suggested.

"It would seem I'm not the only one" She replied, leaning back, using her arms as support.

"The Doc been giving you a hard time?" Sawyer asked, having noticed the man had been following after her the whole evening.

"He thinks I'm in shock and Kate keeps asking me if I'm okay every ten minutes. Safe to say I'm happy they're asleep…I was this close to knocking them out" Kali confessed, holding her thumb and index finger almost together.

"Funny…I feel like that every time the Doc opens his mouth" Sawyer mumbled, as Kali let out a small giggle.

"So, why can't you sleep?" She inquired.

"Well let's see, it's been four days on this damn island with no sign of a rescue comin'-" Sawyer began, but she cut him off.

"You shouldn't feel guilty about it…shooting the Marshall in the chest. You were trying to help" Kali explained, as he took a few seconds to formulate an answer.

"Who says I feel guilty?" Sawyer retorted.

"Your pouty face the past day" Kali pointed out.

"You been checking me out, blue eyes?" Sawyer grinned at her.

"Oh, wouldn't you like to know…and don't think I don't see you trying to change the subject" Kali exclaimed.

"I'm fine" Sawyer grumbled.

"So am I" She shrugged, as they heard Vincent begin to bark not far away from them.

"I'm really starting to wish that mutt had died in the crash" Sawyer groaned, as the dog continued.

"Hey! Don't say stuff like that" Kali insisted, as she nudged him.

"Or what?" He smirked at her.

"Or…" She trailed off, as she grab some sand in her hand and through it at his face.

He let out a laugh at her childish behaviour, and shook his head. Sometimes it was easy to forget the girl was barely nineteen years old. Kali's grin turned into a frown as they heard a strange creaking coming from the fuselage. By this point everyone had begun to wake up, as Sawyer and Kali went closer to investigate the sound.

"What is it?" Kate queried, visibly scared.

"If somebody's in there-" Claire started, but she was cut off.

"Everyone in there is dead" Sayid pointed out.

"Sawyer" Jack suggested, as the pair came up behind him.

"Right behind ya, jackass" Sawyer grumbled.

"Hey, that's my line" Kali insisted, as they all began to edge closer.

"You can't own the term jackass" Sawyer replied.

"Sure I can, asshole" Kali told him, with a sweet smile.

"Sh!" Jack shushed them, taking a small torch out of his pocket.

"Jack" Kate whispered, as he went ahead of them.

Sawyer wasn't far behind, as he held up the very large torch that he had brought from his stash.

"You trying to compensate for something?" Kali couldn't help but joke, the serious atmosphere making her nervous.

"I said sh!" Jack insisted, as they both rolled their eyes.

Kate made sure to keep Kali behind her, as they got to an opening in the fuselage, her protective instincts kicking in. Kali could see that Charlie, who was beside her, was absolutely terrified.

"It's probably just rats" She suggested, trying to calm him.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Charlie grimaced at the thought.

Jack shone his light on a figure inside that seemed to be making a low growling noise, but he couldn't see what it was exactly.

"I'm going to shed some light on this thing" Sawyer sighed, as he raised his large light to the creature.

Jack instantly shoved the torch down, but it was too late, the large creature had been spooked.

"Run!" Jack yelled, as his eyes connected with the animals.

"Get out of here!" Jack shouted, as they all rushed away, the whole camp falling into chaos.

A flurry of pig like creatures ran out after them, and could clearly be dangerous if you got in there way. Once she was far enough away, Kali dropped to the floor, hoping that the pigs wouldn't bother with her. She felt Sawyer's arm drape around her protectively, as he crouched behind her, shielding her completely from the onslaught.

"They're gone" Sayid announced, a few seconds later.

* * *

"What's your problem? Hand them over" Kali heard Hurley shout from not far away.

She had been talking to Kate for the past ten minutes, who as usual was probing how she was doing. The older woman didn't seem to understand that Kali was trying to forget the events of the day before, and she wasn't helping. A fight between Hurley and whoever he was shouting at suddenly seemed very interesting.

"How about no?" She heard Sawyer respond, as she walked over to where a crowd was gathering.

"There's other people here or don't you give a crap?" Hurley questioned, as he lunged for a rucksack that Sawyer was holding.

"Well if one of us wouldn't eat more than his fair share..." Sawyer trailed off, as Hurley tried to restrain the taller man.

"Oh that's bull and you know it. You're not happy unless you're screwing over everybody-" Hurley insisted, as Sawyer shoved him away.

"Hey I'm peachy, pork pie" Sawyer retorted.

"Guys knock it off" Boone exclaimed.

"Stay out of this, Metro" Sawyer called over to him, as Kali decided it was time to intervene.

"Are you guys gonna start mud wrestling or stop acting like children?" Kali asked, with an exasperated tone.

While Sawyer turned to look at her and was about to respond, Hurley saw it as his chance to lunge for the bag and soon the two looked like they would pull the rucksack apart.

"What's going on?" Jack shouted, as he and Sayid ran over and pulled the pair apart.

"Jethro here's hoarding the last of the peanuts" Hurley announced.

"My own stash. I found it in there" Sawyer told him.

"Peanuts? Seriously?" Kali rolled her eyes, as Kate came to stand by her.

"What about the rest of the food?" Jack frowned.

"There is no rest of the food, dude. We kind of—ate it all" Hurley admitted, as Kali's eyes widened.

"What?" Shannon gasped, as Kali could tell the atmosphere around them changed.

"I'm sure Hurley here is just being a little overdramatic. We've probably just not found all the food yet" Kali stated, trying not to cause a panic.

"No. It's all gone. Like everything" Hurley replied.

"Are you trying to cause a panic?" Kali hissed at him, as he cringed.

"We can find food. There are plenty of things on this Island we can use for sustenance" Sayid informed everyone.

"And exactly how are we going to find this sustenance?" Sawyer inquired, sitting down on one of the plane seats.

A second later a knife was thrown very close to his head, as everyone turned to see a bald man looking very pleased with himself.

"What the hell, man?" Kali exclaimed, holding her hands up.

"We hunt" The bald man announced.

"How'd you get that knife on the plane?" Kate asked, as Jack grabbed the knife.

"Checked it" The man shrugged.

"You either have very good aim, or very bad aim, Mr..." Jack probed.

"Locke. His name is Locke" Michael told them, as Kali could tell from his tone that he didn't like the new man much.

"Okay Mr. Locke, what is it that we're hunting?" Jack queried.

"We know there are wild boar on the Island. Razorbacks, by the look of them. The ones that came into the camp last night were piglets, 100, 150 pounds each. Which means that there's a mother nearby. A 250 pound rat, with scimitar-like tusks, and a surly disposition, who'd love nothing more than to eviscerate anything that comes near. Boar's usual mode of attack is to circle around and charge from behind so I figure it'll take at least three of us to distract her long enough for me to flank one of the piglets, pin it, and slit its throat" Mr Locke explained.

"And you gave him his knife back?" Sawyer raised an eyebrow at Jack.

"Well, if you've got a better idea" Jack replied.

"Better than the three of you wandering into the magic forest to bag a hunk of ham with nothing but a little bitty hunting knife? Hell no, it's the best idea I ever heard" Sawyer scoffed, sarcastically.

Locke then walked over to a nearby briefcase and opened it up with his foot, showing them numerous knives, of all different sizes.

"Okay…wasn't expecting that…" Kali mumbled to herself.

"Who is this guy?" Hurley questioned.

"I think that's the first time I've seen you speechless since we got here" Kali said to Sawyer, who had a shocked expression.

"Baldie is prepared, I'll give him that" Sawyer exclaimed.

"And he's back" Kali stated.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this longer than usual chapter! I'm planning to start watching Season 2 of Lost this week, before I start spoiling things for myself, haha. Please leave a review:)

Guest: Aw, thank you so much for this review, it really cheered me up! It's so good to hear you like Kali. We'll slowly learn more about her soon, as she continues to peak Sawyer's interest.

farrahjohnson21: Thank you for the review:) I think it's going to be interesting to see if Jack not putting the marshall out of his misery is going to change anything. I think Kali is going to deal with what she has done the way a lot of people of her age do, simply ignoring it, haha.


	7. Emotional Outburst

Kali grimaced as she picked up a book that was practically falling apart, the water having destroyed all the words. She had decided to help Claire with looking through what could be scavenged from the plane, as the pregnant woman was planning to do a memorial of sorts. Kali thought it was a nice idea, as otherwise burning the bodies in the fuselage was far too depressing. She also secretly hoped that she would find the few belongings that she had brought with her. Kali couldn't help but giggle when she came across a ridiculously high heeled stiletto.

"Who do you think brought that?" Claire laughed.

"Hmm, no idea. If I was back at home I'd think my flatmate" Kali stated, smiling at the memory.

"Are you close to her?" Claire inquired.

"Yeah, he's a good friend" Kali shrugged.

"Him?" Claire asked, her eyes widening.

"Yep. He's got much better legs than me. I used to get jealous" Kali admitted, with a laugh.

"I've never met anyone who does…that" Claire stuttered, not being able to find the right words.

"Oh no, you're not one of those people who-" Kali groaned, hoping she hadn't got the girl wrong.

"No! No, I would never judge someone for something like that" Claire promised.

"Well in honour of my friend…I think I better try this on" Kali grinned, as she took her shoe off.

"I guess the other one must have got lost in the crash" Claire suggested, as Kali placed the stiletto on.

"What do you think?" Kali questioned, raising her leg in the air, making Claire giggle.

"Damn, I might have to change your name to legs" A voice boomed from behind them.

Kali turned around to see Sawyer giving her legs a very appreciative look, as she had decided to wear shorts that day, needing a change from the jeans she had been wearing.

"Whatever floats your boat, dimples" Kali responded, getting a chuckle out of the older man.

"Did you find something?" Claire inquired, spotting the wallets in Sawyer's hand.

"These were um…I found these the other day when I was uh…aw, hell, just take it" Sawyer mumbled, as he passed them over.

"Thank you" Claire nodded at him.

"Are you sure you can bear to part with them?" Kali said, sarcastically.

"Money ain't no use here" Sawyer shrugged, as he walked away.

"You two seem to be getting on well" Claire pointed out.

"He's…interesting" Kali replied.

"And hot" Claire added, making Kali laugh.

"Won't your baby daddy be jealous hearing you speak like that?" Kali asked, raising an eyebrow.

"…The father and I…we're not…" Claire trailed off.

"Oh, well that's alright. I'm sure with you as a mum he'll be fine" She told her.

"He? Why do you say that?" Claire queried.

"Oh, I thought you told me…you don't know what the gender is?" Kali questioned, as Claire shook her head.

"It just sounded right" Kali mumbled, as Claire grinned, rubbing her stomach lightly.

* * *

"Hey! Um…can I ask you to do something?" Boone approached Kali later that day.

"Yeah, shoot" She replied.

"Um, I got a cut a few days ago and I've been trying to bandage it myself but…" Boone trailed off, pulling his trousers up to show the bandage that was barely holding up.

"Jack's probably-" Kali started, but he cut her off.

"Actually, I really don't want to go to Jack. So, I was hoping you could help me out. Please" Boone begged.

"Fair enough. Come on, we'll go behind some of the tents…I don't want to give Jack an inferiority complex" Kali laughed.

"So, how'd you get into nursing?" Boone inquired, once Kali had started to clean up his leg.

"I know it's cheesy, but I guess I just needed to help people" She admitted, as she began to re-dress his leg.

"Needed?" Boone asked, noticing she didn't say want.

"I have some things to make up for" She shrugged.

"I can't imagine that's true" Boone couldn't help but laugh, she seemed so innocent to him.

"I was the one who killed the US Marshall" Kali blurted out, feeling good to admit it.

"But I thought…I'm really sorry, Kali" Boone frowned.

"What for?" She queried, confused.

"You shouldn't feel guilty. Mercy killing doesn't make you a bad person" He insisted.

If only you knew the truth about me, you wouldn't be saying that, she thought to herself.

* * *

The memorial that night was sad, but Kali would have felt guilty if she wasn't there. The dead deserved to be remembered. After it was over she walked up to Claire, having begun to like the blonde.

"It a really nice memorial, Claire. I think we all needed that" Kali told her.

"I didn't need anymore guilt on my conscience" Claire responded.

"Amen to that" Kali sighed.

She noticed that Jack had been absent from the service and saw him sitting not far away looking into the waves. She hoped the Doctor was alright, she couldn't nurse everyone on the island on her own. They all needed him. She frowned as she realised maybe that was the problem.

* * *

The mystery of where her things were was answered early the next morning. She was able to spot her black bag in Sawyer's growing stash and approached him with angry steps.

"What the hell, Sawyer?" She growled, gesturing to her bag.

"Oh, how did that get there…" Sawyer trailed off, with a smirk.

Rolling her eyes, Kali grabbed her bag and began to rummage around it, finding that almost everything was accounted for. Almost. The things that meant the most to her had all been kept in a small purse, which was missing.

"Where is it?" She asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about-" Sawyer began, but she cut him off.

"I'm serious, Sawyer. Where is it?" She insisted.

"I'll give it back to you…but I have a few questions first" Sawyer told her.

"Fine" She grumbled.

"Why do you have a bullet in your purse?" Sawyer questioned, taking the object out of his shirt pocket.

She tried to grab it from him, but he was too fast, and his arms far too long for her to reach.

"Ah, ah. It's been used. Is it the bullet that shot you?" Sawyer suggested.

"No. I used it" She answered.

"You shot someone?" Sawyer inquired, surprised.

This through him off enough that she was able to grab the bullet from his hand and stared at it for a few seconds to make sure it wasn't damaged.

"This your mama and daddy?" Sawyer asked, holding up a picture of a family.

"Give. It. Back." Kali told him, an unusual venom in her voice.

"I'm guessing this older one is you, and that must be your little sister. But what I want to know who this is?" Sawyer questioned, pointing to the person in the picture whose face had been burnt out.

What Sawyer hadn't been expecting was for her to suddenly burst into tears. He thought for a second maybe it was just a ruse to get him to give the picture to her, but he had seen enough people fake cry to know that it was real.

"Shit, blue eyes. Don't cry. Look, here you go" Sawyer exclaimed, standing as he handed her the purse and the picture.

Kali used her free hand to cover her face, embarrassed at her emotional outburst. Sawyer grimaced as he placed his hands on her shoulders, not sure how to comfort her as it was his fault she was in the state she was.

"What the hell is going on?!" Jack shouted, as he seemed to have noticed the crying Kali.

"I didn't…it's not…" Sawyer stuttered, backing away.

Kali slipped the picture into the purse before anyone else could see it, as a crowd was beginning to form around them.

"What did you do to her?" Jack yelled, as Kate placed her arm over the younger girls' shoulders.

"It's fine. I'm fine" Kali shook her head, wiping away the last few tears from her face.

"You're not. Did he hurt you?" Kate asked, anger in her voice.

"No. I just…got upset. Just leave it" Kali told them, shrugging off Kate's arm.

"Hey, you can talk to us-" Boone started, but she cut him off.

"No! Just leave me alone" She exclaimed, as she began to rush away.

"Kali, wait!" Sawyer called after her, using her actual name for once, but she was already too far to catch up.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It's a bit of a filler but it helps to build on some of Kali's relationships which I think is important. Please leave a review:)

farrahjohnson21: It's very shocking, haha. Thanks for the review!


	8. Sorry?

She returned later that morning to find out one of the survivors had drowned while she had been gone and felt the familiar guilt start to creep into her mind. She could have helped but instead she'd run off like a child. She began to search for Boone who she had heard had almost drowned as well.

"Hey! Your friend is sick!" Walt called over to her, as he rushed towards Jack's tent.

Kali quickly followed him, and almost cursed when she saw Claire unconscious on the floor in the tent.

"What happened?" She asked Kate, who was sitting by the pregnant woman.

"I don't know. She fainted…we think" Kate responded.

"Did she hit her head? Where did she fall?" Kali queried, as she went to Claire's other side.

"I…I don't think so…she was on the beach, we moved her-" Kate stuttered.

"Where the hell is Jack?" Kali cut her off.

"He vanished this morning" Charlie informed her, as she cursed.

"Claire? Claire, can you hear me?" Kali exclaimed but got little response.

"Claire, I need you to wake up" Kali insisted, as she pinched Claire need her shoulder.

"Hey! Why did you…" Charlie trailed off, as Claire began to wake up.

"We need to keep her awake, that's why. Claire, do you remember hitting your head?" Kali asked her.

"No…I fell onto my side" Claire told her.

"I need some water. I think she's got a fever" Kali sighed.

"The water's gone! Someone's stolen it!" Charlie realised.

"Oh, for God's sake" Kali groaned, not thinking the day could get any worse.

Kali stayed by Claire's side the rest of the day, too scared to live the pregnant girl as Jack had disappeared. Knowing that the water was gone she quickly became aware that she hadn't drank anything since before the memorial. In fact, she had given her last bottle of water to Claire while they had been looking through people's belongings. She was beginning to feel a pain in her back and knew that she wouldn't be able to last as long as the others without water. Kate and Sayid had suggested that Sawyer was the one who had stolen the water, but Kali couldn't believe that. Sawyer may have had questionable morals but by now he would have known that Claire was unwell, and she couldn't see him wanting to see that happen.

"How's she doing?" A familiar voice questioned from the tent opening.

"Not great" Kali replied, as she turned around to see Sawyer standing there.

"Look…about what happened earlier…I didn't…I wasn't trying to upset you" Sawyer mumbled.

"Is that supposed to be an apology?" Kali asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. Is it working?" Sawyer inquired.

"A little. Actually say the words and I'll consider forgiving you" Kali told him.

"I've never said sorry in my life, sweetheart" Sawyer informed her.

"Well, it's never too late to start" Kali replied, with a mischievous smile.

"Fine, I'm…sorry" Sawyer stated, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"Apology accepted. Now was that really so hard?" Kali questioned.

"Yes" Sawyer grumbled.

"Sayid and Kate think you are the one who's stolen the water, you know" Kali exclaimed.

"Of course, they do. Probably think I crashed the damn plane too" Sawyer suggested, crouching down next to her.

She was surprised when he suddenly placed two bottles of water in front of her and gave him a questioning look.

"The last water from my stash" Sawyer said, as she picked a bottle up and placed it to Claire's lips.

"Will she be alright?" Sawyer queried, the tiniest hint of worry on his face.

"For now" Kali sighed, as she rubbed her back lightly.

"Are you?" Sawyer inquired.

"Just thirsty" She shrugged.

"And as if by magic, water appears. Drink up, blue eyes" Sawyer insisted, putting the other bottle in her hand.

"Everyone's thirsty" Kali pointed out.

"What's wrong with your back?" Sawyer asked, when he noticed she was still in pain.

"…I've only got one kidney" She admitted, as Sawyer raised an eyebrow.

"Well now you're definitely going to drink" Sawyer told her, as he took the lid off the bottle.

"I'm fine" Kali retorted.

"Either you drink, or I take this bottle back" Sawyer announced, as she rolled her eyes and took a quick of swig of water.

"You never said how much" She pointed out, as he shook his head, fondly and stood up.

"Oh, and by the way, Kate and Sayid are following you…so you might not want to go back to your stash under that mango tree" Kali advised her.

"How did you…" Sawyer trailed off, an impressed look on his face.

"A girl's gotta have secrets" Kali shrugged, amused.

* * *

Kali realised she must have drifted off to sleep at some point, as suddenly she was being woken up by an angry Charlie dragging Boone out of the Doctor's tent.

"What's going on?" She asked, groggily.

"Here's your thief" Charlie announced, throwing Boone to the sand.

"Where'd he hide it?" Michael inquired.

"I don't know. This wanker had three bottles on him. Why'd you do it, pretty boy?" Charlie accused, as Boone went to stand up.

"It was just sitting…it was just sitting in the tent. And Jack took off!" Boone exclaimed.

"Claire could have died" Charlie pointed out.

"I tried to give some to her sooner, but it just got out of hand. No one would have understood" Boone replied.

"So, you were just going to leave us all to die of thirst?" Kali retorted.

"No! Of course, not" Boone stated.

"Then when were you going to man up and admit it was you? Two days? Three?" Kali questioned, angrily.

She was about to shove Boone, her dehydrated mind not thinking too clearly, but Sawyer held her back. A light hand on her shoulder was enough to stop her in her tracks.

"Someone had to take responsibility for it. It never would have lasted!" Boone insisted, as Charlie lunged for him.

"Leave him alone!" A commanding voice announced, as everyone turned to see Jack was back.

"Where the hell have you been? Claire's been sick" Kali whispered to Jack, who looked guilty.

"Is she alright?" Jack responded, as Kali nodded.

"It's been six days and we're all still waiting. Waiting for someone to come. But what if they don't?...We have to stop waiting. We need to start figuring things out. A woman died this morning just going for a swim. And he tried to save her, and now you're about to crucify him? We can't do this. Every man for himself is not going to work. It's time to start organising. We need to figure out how we're going to survive here. Now I found water…fresh water up in the valley. I'll take a group in at first light. If you don't want to come, then find another way to contribute. Last week most of us were strangers, but we're all here now. And God knows how long we're going to be here. But if we can't live together…we're going to die alone" Jack explained to them all, in a passionate speech.

"He'll be expecting us to sing songs around the fire next" Sawyer mumbled, as the group began to disperse.

"I'm just happy our unofficial leader is back" Kali admitted, almost breathing a sigh of relief.

"Don't put yourself down, blue eyes. You took charge today…people will remember that" Sawyer pointed out.

"They better. Because I am not doing that again" Kali laughed, making Sawyer let out an amused sound.

"They look like they've made up" Jack said, from a few metres away where he was watching the pair talk.

"He's wrapping her around his little finger" Kate suggested, as Sawyer seemed to make a joke which resulted in Kali punching him in the shoulder.

"I don't know…it might be the other way around" Jack mumbled, seeing the fond look on Sawyer's face.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! So Kali and Sawyer made up, but both their pasts are going to put a strain on their growing relationship. Please can I have some reviews?:)

farrahjohnson21: Kali's sad past will slowly be revealed more. At least they've made up! Thanks for the review:)


	9. Sulking

Kali could barely contain her laughter as she watched Sawyer's tantrum at not being able to win the game the pair had created. It was simple enough. They had a water bottle that they would try to hit with rocks, and whoever was able to hit the target the furthest would win. They were at a stalemate which seemed to irritate Sawyer from the way he was grumbling.

"You are throwing too high. Throw underarm instead" A voice suggested from behind them.

The pair turned around to see Sayid, who was staring at them in amusement, seemingly enjoying the frustration on Sawyer's face. As it was Kali's turn to throw, she took onboard Saiyid's advice and managed to hit the bottle, throwing her arms up in triumph.

"I wouldn't get too excited…I'm in this to win" Sawyer smirked at her, as he positioned himself.

He missed the bottle by a few metres, having given too hard a swing, as Kali laughed.

"Ha! I win" She grinned, smugly.

"You cheated. Abdul over here helped you" Sawyer retorted.

"He gave you the same advice. Maybe you should listen next time" Kali suggested, earning a roll of eyes from Sawyer.

Suddenly they heard screaming from close by, and ran towards the noise in unison. They quickly spotted the culprits, seeing Jin was attempting to drown Michael in the sea as Walt looked on in horror. Sayid expertly tackled Jin off Michael, as Sawyer and Kali helped Michael to stand up who had blood dripping all over him.

"The handcuffs from the Sky Marshall…now!" Sayid insisted, as Kali took the weight of Michael onto her own shoulders.

Soon enough Jin was handcuffed to a part of the wreckage as Kali tried to look Michael over for any injuries. He was lucky that everything seemed superficial, as it could have been much worse. They seemed to get nowhere with trying to find out why the Korean attacked Michael. When Jack arrived back from the caves he presented a new problem entirely. He wanted to set up a camp there as they had fresh water, and it would be more sheltered. But if they left the beach they could risk losing the opportunity to flag down a ship. However, Kali wasn't too bothered about being rescued. It was nice to feel free for once. She was still pondering about what she was going to do, when Sawyer approached her.

"So blue eyes, what's it going to be? Go with the pessimists or stay here and wait for the rescue boats?" Sawyer inquired, taking off his sunglasses.

"Nice shades" Kali laughed, as he crouched down in front of her.

"You're avoiding my question" Sawyer pointed out.

"I don't know the answer yet" Kali shrugged.

"They'll be expecting you to follow the Doc, most likely it will be safer up in the caves" Sawyer suggested.

"And miss out on your wonderful company? How could I?" Kali teased.

"I didn't say I was staying" Sawyer replied.

"It's pretty obvious you want to be around if a rescue appears" Kali told him.

"You'd really stay here just for me?" Sawyer asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, you big-head. The Doc is going inland, so the nurse needs to stay on the shore. It just makes sense" Kali shrugged.

"Whatever you say" Sawyer grinned.

Convincing Jack was a lot harder than Kali had expected as he didn't like the thought of her staying and was already in a bad mood as Kate had decided to stay too.

"Look I get where you're coming from but I'm not a kid, Jack. I can make decisions for myself" Kali stated.

"I'm just trying to look out for you. I don't want you to make a mistake just because of him" Jack suggested, ushering at Sawyer who was further down the beach.

"I already told you, I'm staying in case anyone gets hurt. It doesn't make sense the two medical people on this whole island being in the same place and you know it" Kali rolled her eyes.

"I'm not going to be able to change your mind?" Jack questioned, as she shook her head.

"Then just promise me you'll look after yourself, alright? Look out for number one" Jack went on, surprising her.

"You too" She nodded.

"…Oh, and Jack? Kate's not staying here to hurt you, she just…needs to be here. She's probably hoping you'll stay here for her" Kali explained.

"I can't put her feelings above everyone's safety" Jack replied.

"You guys not at that level yet then?" Kali teased.

"Has she said something about me?" Jack frowned.

"Nope, but your face lighting up whenever she's around tells me enough" Kali grinned, watching the Doctor blush.

* * *

"You move quick…I'll give you that" Kali announced, as she walked into what used to be the medical tent, but Sawyer had now made into his home.

"Welcome to my Palace" Sawyer grinned, from where he was sitting in one of the planes seats.

"Oh yeah, it seems real cosy" Kali laughed, as she flopped down on the seat beside him.

"I don't remember inviting you in" Sawyer stated, not looking up from his book.

"I don't remember asking" She retorted, with a smile.

"Hey, I need a battery…something from a laptop should do" Kate interjected, as she came rushing over to them.

"Why?" Kali frowned.

"We want to locate the source of the French transmission, but the transceiver is dead…so we need a battery" Kate explained.

"Can't help you" Sawyer shrugged.

"You've been hoarding like a pack rat ever since the crash and you don't have a single laptop?" Kate asked, crossing her arms.

"Looks that way" Sawyer mumbled, more interested in his book.

"Could you be any more of an asshole?" Kate mumbled, only earning a grin from Sawyer in response.

"Don't you want to find out who sent out that transmission?" Kate insisted, now looking to Kali.

"We should probably find out who else is on this island…" Kali trailed off, turning to look at Sawyer.

"You two want to go running off into the jungle, be my guest" Sawyer stated.

"Alright, let's do it" Kali announced, standing up.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Kate frowned.

"Oh right" Kali said, as she crouched down and moved a few papers and books to reveal a laptop.

"You knew he had one the whole time?" Kate grumbled.

"It was kind of funny watching you get annoyed" Kali teased, as Kate rolled her eyes and went to take the battery to Sayid.

"You sure you don't want to come?" Kali questioned.

"It won't work" Sawyer replied.

"Now who's a pessimist" Kali pointed out.

"I ain't leaving this beach" Sawyer insisted.

"I know your hoping that someone is going to turn up and save us and you'll be able to sneak away from the authorities if your fast enough but-" Kali was cut off.

"Don't act like you know me. Just because I'm southern and harsh must mean I'm a criminal right?" Sawyer hissed.

"I didn't say that" Kali shook her head.

"And what about you? I've got a feeling your past is a whole lot murkier than mine" Sawyer suggested.

"You know what? Stay here and sulk. That's what you do best" Kali rolled her eyes and walked away.

Annoyed at how he acted, Sawyer threw his book to the ground and leaned back against the chair.

* * *

Kali, Kate and Sayid had been walking through the jungle for no more than an hour when a sweaty Sawyer suddenly approached them.

"Hey" Sawyer exclaimed.

He appeared like he wanted to tell them something, as it was obvious he must have been running for a long time to catch up with them. Kali felt her eyes drifting down his neck where droplets of sweat were forming and then down his chest, but quickly looked away before anyone could spot her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kate inquired.

"Easy, just came here to tell you something" Sawyer responded.

"Well we're not interested" Kali told him, as she continued walking.

"You're really going to turn away someone who's willing to help y'all on your little quest?" Sawyer suggested.

"Why would you want to help? You said this wouldn't work, remember?" Kali frowned, turning to face him.

"I'm done sulking, that's all" Sawyer shrugged.

"Just try to keep up" Kali mumbled, at the four walked further into the jungle.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! There's going to be a lot of angst coming up, as Sawyer and Kali both fear getting close to people and will do anything to avoid getting hurt. Please leave a review:)

farrahjohnson21: Thanks for the review!

Sinner2016: Aw, thank you so much:) I'm so glad your liking this story so far! Yeah, I've noticed that there aren't many Lost fics around and any that there are didn't get further than a couple of episodes.


	10. Jack's In Trouble

"We'll place the second antenna here" Sayid announced, as they came into a clearing.

"You want to help?" Sayid asked, as Sawyer nodded.

"Attach this antenna up in that tree, as high as you can" Sayid told him, as Kate passed him a mechanical device.

"Golly, thanks boss" Sawyer said sarcastically, getting a small laugh from Kali.

"5'oclock. Watch for my flare. Then it's your turn" Sayid informed Kali.

"Don't worry, I won't let you down" Kali nodded, as Sayid began to walk away.

"I could stay here if you want-" Kate started, but she cut her off.

"I've got this, Kate" Kali insisted.

"You can't trust him" Kate warned her, before she too left.

Kali turned around, as she watched Sawyer push himself up the tree with his long limbs. He seemed to notice this and turned to her with his trademark smirk.

"You staring at my ass?" Sawyer teased.

"You wish" Kali scoffed.

* * *

It had just gone four and Kali was beginning to get restless. She had finally been given some responsibility and she didn't want to screw it up.

"It's still not five, you know" Sawyer called to her.

"We can't afford to miss the signal" Kali retorted.

"Sitting down isn't going to stop you seeing the flare. C'mon, your pacing is getting irritating" Sawyer pointed out.

"I better keep it up then if it's annoying you" Kali smirked, as Sawyer rolled his eyes.

"Why are you here, Sawyer?" Kali couldn't help but ask.

"Why are you here, blue eyes?" Sawyer replied.

"Something to do" She shrugged.

"…You don't want to get off this island, do you?" Sawyer realised, as she turned to look at him.

"Of course, I do" She shook her head, but Sawyer clearly didn't believe her.

"Life that bad at home?" Sawyer went on.

"Why do you care?" She questioned.

"You're more interesting than the average John and Jane on this island" Sawyer theorised.

"Is that why you came after us?" Kali inquired.

"No…" Sawyer trailed off, suddenly looking away.

"Well, I know you didn't come here to help…what's going on?" Kali insisted, as she came to sit down opposite him.

"How come the good doctor doesn't get you weak in the knees like most of the women here?" Sawyer asked, as she scoffed.

"Are we answering a question with a question now?" Kali exclaimed.

"Maybe. C'mon, tell me" Sawyer stated.

"I've had enough of doctors to last a lifetime" Kali answered, seeing as it was mostly true.

"Really? I thought all ladies dig doctors?" Sawyer pointed out.

"Nurses don't" Kali laughed.

"Kate does" Sawyer suggested.

"And he likes her. Maybe they'll live happily ever after once we get off this island" Kali shrugged.

"I doubt it" Sawyer mumbled.

"Why'd you say that?" Kali frowned.

"No reason" Sawyer replied, suddenly very interested with the stick his hands were playing with.

"Has something happened to Jack?" Kali realised, putting two and two together.

"Word from the Valley is that Saint Jack got himself buried in a cave in" Sawyer announced, as Kali's eyes widened.

"What?!" Kali cried, as she stood up.

"That's what I was coming to tell you" Sawyer admitted, as Kali glared at him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Kali shouted, throwing the flare at him.

"I came here to help you lot, but you didn't believe me-" Sawyer started, but she cut him off.

"So, you thought you'd just stand back at let Jack die? Don't you care at all?" Kali argued.

"Guess not" Sawyer shrugged, as Kali picked up her bag and began rushing away.

"It's too late" He called after her.

"You better set up that antenna when it's time, or I swear to God, you're going to wish that you were the one in a cave in" Kali warned him, before turning around and running in Kate's direction.

By the time she finally reached Kate and Sayid, she could barely put two words together with how much she was panting.

"What's wrong?" Kate questioned, seeing how fast Kali had been running.

"It's Jack…he's…he's in a cave in" Kali stuttered.

"What? When? How?" Kate panicked.

"I don't know. Sawyer knew…that's why he came after us" Kali informed her.

"Then why didn't he say anything?" Kate cried.

"It doesn't matter. We need to go. Now!" Kali insisted, as both girls began running in the way she had just came from.

* * *

They were able to find a shortcut to the caves, which meant they didn't have to go past Sawyer, which Kali was happy with. She didn't want to see him. They were surprised when they saw a group formed around the caves, sad looks on their faces, but they weren't doing anything.

"Where's Jack?" Kate questioned.

"He's in there" Hurley answered, after a few seconds, indicating to where a pile of rocks were in the caves entrance.

"Does anyone know if he's alive?" Kate inquired, as Kali rushed over to the rocks and tried to listen.

"Is he alive?" Kate shouted.

"We don't know. Charlie went in there through a tunnel we dug. But it collapsed" Michael admitted.

"They could be suffocating in there" Kali panicked.

"Why is nobody digging?" Kate queried, as she rushed over to Kali and began pulling the rocks away.

"Come on! We can't give up" Kali told the group, as they joined the pair with trying to open the tunnel again.

* * *

They had been digging for hours, and Kate looked like she was about to pass out, when suddenly Jack and Charlie appeared from behind them.

"How?..." Kali trailed off, not sure how they could be there.

Kate was quickly running past her and into Jack's arms, who grinned at the action. Kate had the biggest smile on her face, Kali noted, as she pulled away.

"How'd you guys get out?" Kali called over to them.

"Charlie. Charlie got us out" Jack announced.

"Dude, you rock!" Hurley exclaimed, hugging the smaller man and lifting him off the ground.

"You seriously need to stop putting yourself in danger. I don't want to have to upgrade myself to Doctor of the island yet" Kali grinned, patting him on the shoulder.

"I'll do my best" Jack laughed.

* * *

The next day, Kali was looking along the beach for any signs of a ship, as she did most days. She knew it was unlikely she would ever see anything, but she wasn't about to give up trying. After what had happened to Jack, she realised how dangerous it could be living on the island. She didn't want anyone to die because she was happy being away from civilisation for a bit longer. Her thoughts came to a halt when she spotted crumpled clothes and a book lying on the beach.

"Hell of a book!" A voice called out from the ocean.

She spotted a grinning Sawyer, who was starting to walk out of the sea, more and more of his chest on show. Kali couldn't help the small blush that began on her face.

"I'm still not talking to you" Kali crossed her arms, refusing to look at the older man.

"Well, you're failing at that already" Sawyer pointed out, as he came to stand opposite her.

She could tell from the pile of clothes on the beach that he was naked from head to toe and she wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of her checking him out. Even if she did want to.

"Aren't you cold?" She suggested, raising an eyebrow.

"Sure am. You want to warm me up?" Sawyer flirted, as he took a step closer to her.

She could feel the heat radiating from his body, as the blush on her face only reddened further. She couldn't even think of a comeback. Deciding not to play his game any longer, she simply turned around and began to walk away.

"I'll take that as a maybe later" Sawyer called after her.

He smirked as he realised for once he had been able to stop her smart retorts completely. Maybe I need to take my shirt off more often, he thought to himself.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Sorry for how long it took me to update, I should start posting more frequently soon. Next chapter Kali will finally start to learn more about Sawyer. Please leave a review:)

scripturient3201: Aw, thank you so much for this review! I'm so glad that you like Kali and this story. Hopefully I'll start answering those questions soon:)


	11. The Con

Kali had gone to the caves to fill up her numerous bottles of water when she saw the state that Boone was in and rushed over.

"What the hell happened?" Kali questioned, seeing the cuts and bruises all over his face.

"Sawyer happened" Jack informed her, as she crouched down in front of Boone to survey his wounds.

"This cut is deep. You might need-" She started, but Jack cut her off.

"Did you not here what I said? Your buddy just did this to him" Jack exclaimed, getting angry.

"Oh, I'm sorry Jack, I thought I might check Boone's injuries first seeing as in my clinical judgement they're the more pressing issue" Kali retorted, giving him a dirty look.

"I think we're all lucky you two didn't work at the same hospital" Boone chuckled, as Jack handed him a cloth with some peroxide on it.

"Why did he do it?" Kali asked, as she began to dab the liquid against his brow.

"It's Shannon. She has asthma and Sawyer has my backup inhalers" Boone replied, flinching as she dabbed his face.

"Why do you have the backup inhalers?" Kali frowned.

"Apparently breathing isn't cool" Boone rolled his eyes.

"So, you have to look out for her if she won't, huh? You've got to be the most caring brother I've met" Kali joked.

"Step-brother" Boone clarified, as Kali nodded.

"So, let me guess, you went to ask Sawyer for the inhalers and it ended up with your face getting mushed" Kali went on.

"Pretty much" Boone sighed.

"He's not safe to be around, Kali" Jack warned her.

"There's a lot more dangerous things on this island than him, Jack" Kali replied.

"He's right though. I barely provoked him and look what he did" Boone insisted.

"I can handle Sawyer. In fact, I'm going to go ask him for the inhalers" Kali told them.

"What? No way!" Jack insisted.

"Adult here, remember?" Kali rolled her eyes.

"Wait! I don't want you to get hurt just trying to help my sister" Boone stated.

"Well I'm not doing it for her" Kali explained, patting him on the shoulder.

"Thanks, Kali!" Boone called after her, a bright smile on his face, as she nodded.

* * *

"Your really not as smart as you think, you know" Kali announced, as she approached Sawyer, who was chopping up wood on the beach.

"And how'd you figure that out, blue eyes?" Sawyer questioned, not bothering to turn around.

"Because I played you" Kali informed him, which certainly got his attention.

"Excuse me?" Sawyer frowned.

"On the beach this morning. I conned you, and you didn't even realise" Kali went on.

"Really? Because if I remember rightly it was me making you blush, not the other way around" Sawyer smirked.

"You're right about that…but it was more of a nervous tick than anything" Kali stated.

"Oh, so I make you nervous, huh?" Sawyer grinned, walking towards her.

"Nope. I was just nervous that you had spotted me pulling your letter out of the trousers left on the beach" She shrugged.

Sawyer's eyes widened as he began rummaging in his jeans for the letter and came up with nothing. He was instantly storming up to her and came to a halt only a few inches from her face.

"Where is it?" Sawyer questioned, an angry expression on his face.

"I don't have it on me if that's what your thinking" Kali replied, as Sawyer clenched his fists.

"I'm going to give you one chance to give it back to me" Sawyer warned her.

"Or what? You going to beat me up too?" Kali retorted.

"The hell's gotten into you?" Sawyer inquired.

"I only took the letter as a little payback from when you looked through my stuff. I was never going to read it. Then I find out that you've been hoarding Shannon's inhalers and beat the crap out of Boone…so I thought, screw that" Kali explained.

"You read it?!" Sawyer bellowed, angrily.

"Yeah, I did. And you know the one thing that doesn't make sense?" Kali queried.

"What's that?" Sawyer replied.

"It says the kid that wrote it only knew the name Sawyer. So…how did you get it?" Kali went on.

"Guess he must have found me" Sawyer stated.

"Right? And you just kept it, huh?" Kali asked, as he nodded.

"So, either you have an extreme case of self-loathing or…you're not Mr. Sawyer-" Kali started, but he cut her off.

"You don't know anything!" Sawyer shouted.

"Maybe not. But I don't think that you're this bad guy that you pretend to be" Kali suggested.

"Jesus, you must have met some pretty nasty men if you think I'm one of the good guys" Sawyer pointed out, as she didn't reply.

"Maybe that guy whose face was burned out in your cute little family portrait?" Sawyer went on, as he could sense her whole demeanour begin to change.

"What's it going to take to get the inhalers?" Kali questioned, wanting to change the subject, fast.

"…Information" Sawyer replied, a wicked grin growing on his face.

"What information?" Kali frowned.

"On you. If you want that girl's inhalers…I want to know who that guy is in the picture" Sawyer bargained.

"No" Kali replied, not even having to think twice about it.

"You're really going to let her die?" Sawyer asked.

"Are you?" She retorted.

* * *

"I can't breathe…I can't" Shannon panted, beginning to hyperventilate.

"Yes, you can. You're panicking. Okay? It's a panic attack" Kali told her.

"No, no. I can't…I can't" Shannon shook her head.

"Can't you do something?" Boone pleaded.

"I don't have any…hold on…" Kali trailed off, as she saw Sun holding a paper bag not far away.

"Hey! Sun…I need that bag!" Kali exclaimed, as she rushed over to her.

Sun held the bag up surprisingly fast, seemingly having known what Kali was talking about straight away. Jin was on his feet as she approached them, giving her a confused look.

"Bag" She stated, pointing to the brown bag as she took it from Sun's hand.

"Thank you" She nodded, as she ran back over to Shannon.

"Hold this over your face, breathe into it" Kali instructed her.

"No…it'll…it'll make it worse" Shannon cried.

"It's going to help. Trust me, okay? I know what I'm talking about" Kali tried to reassure her, as Shannon did as she was told.

It took a while, but after a minute of so of breathing into the bag, Shannon's breathing began to even out.

"Deep breaths, there you go. You're going to be alright" Kali insisted, as Shannon gave her a small smile.

"You did it!" Boone grinned, as he pulled her into a hug.

Boone didn't seem to notice how rigid Kali was as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She couldn't keep the surprise off her face at the gesture, it had been a very long time since someone had hugged her. Not feeling sure about what to do, she simply patted him on the back a few times, awkwardly. It was at that moment that Sawyer walked through the camp, and almost came to a halt when he saw the pair.

"Uh, yeah. You're welcome" He heard Kali mumble, as they pulled away from each other.

Sawyer frowned at how obviously uncomfortable she had been by the hug and couldn't help but wonder why. Shaking his head, he walked over to where the water was and crouched down to fill up his bottle.

"Give me the inhalers. Now" Jack announced, as he came up from behind him.

"Hell, I was wondering when you were going to stop asking nice" Sawyer replied, as he stood up and went to take a drink from his bottle.

Without warning, Jack's hand shot forward and slammed into Sawyer's jaw, hitting the bottle he was holding at the same time. Sawyer fell to the ground from the impact, his face and hair now drenched with water.

"Well, it's about time, cowboy. I've been telling you from day one that we're in the wild. Didn't think you had it in you" Sawyer commented, as he went to stand up, wiping away some blood from his lips.

Suddenly, Jack repeated this action, perhaps even harder than before, which sent Sawyer flying to his side. Deciding enough was enough, Kali surged forward and pushed Jack back roughly by his shoulders.

"Stop it!" She shouted, getting in between the pair.

"That all you got?" Sawyer mocked, from where he was still on his knees.

"Both of you, stop it!" Kali insisted.

Jack looked like he was about to hit him again, as his lips curled back in anger, but Kali made sure to stand directly in front of Sawyer.

"How is this helping anything?" She questioned, as Jack sighed.

"What is it going to take for you to stop defending him?" Jack shook his head, as he stormed off.

"I don't remember asking for your help, lifesaver" Sawyer exclaimed, as he pushed himself up.

"You're lucky I did. Do you like getting beaten up or something? Stop provoking him" Kali warned Sawyer.

"You ain't the boss of me, sweetheart" Sawyer replied, as he began walking away.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I actually really like how this update went, and the next one should be even better. How are you guys liking the story? Please leave a review:)

scripturient3201: Thank you for the review! Aw, I'm so glad you're liking Kali so much, it makes me think I'm writing her well then, haha.


	12. Torture

Kali was surprised when she spotted Jack and Sayid dragging a person through camp the following morning. Her eyes widened when she recognised the familiar blue shirt and blonde hair.

"What the hell is going on?" Kali questioned, as she saw Kate had been arguing with them.

"I…I think they're going to…" Kate trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence.

"We need to stop them! Come on" Kali insisted.

"Shannon could die, Kali" Kate pointed out.

"So, it's okay to torturing people now?" Kali retorted.

"They just want the inhalers. If Sawyer cooperates-" Kate started, but she cut him off.

"Cooperates? Have you met the guy?!" Kali shouted.

"He made his choice" Kate sighed, repeating Jack's words from a moment ago.

"Jesus…I clearly got you wrong, didn't I?" Kali suggested, shaking her head, as she rushed off after the men.

Kali arrived just in time to watch the pair tying a bleeding Sawyer to a tree trunk, an appalled look on her face.

"This is not happening" Kali announced, as they turned to her.

"Not now, Kali" Jack sighed, as he blocked Sawyer from her view.

"This is wrong, and you know it. You're a doctor for God's sake!" Kali exclaimed.

"Which is why I know that Shannon will die without her inhalers" Jack replied.

"It won't...hey! You can stop sharpening those little 'torture sticks'!" Kali yelled, as she saw Sayid cutting bamboo into sharp tools.

"You will not stop us" Sayid told her.

"Oh really? And why's that?" Kali scoffed, as Sayid nodded to Jack.

A moment later, her arms were grabbed from behind her, as she felt her wrists being tied up with something.

"Let go of me!" Kali cried, as her the bindings on her wrists were tightened.

She turned to see that while she had been arguing with Sayid, Jack had grabbed the spare robe they had with them and had tied it around the tree. She tried to pull herself away, but the ties on her wrist were strong and kept her in place.

"Oh, you asshole" Kali hissed, kicking some dirt in Jack's direction, who was now standing far away from her.

Meanwhile, Sayid grabbed a bottle of water and threw it at Sawyer, who instantly woke up at the cold sensation.

"Uh oh, I'm in trouble now, ain't I?" Sawyer suggested, shaking his now wet hair out of his face.

"Sawyer, we gave you the chance to do the right thing. Now all I want is the asthma medicine. Just tell me where the inhalers are, and we'll stop" Jack informed him.

"Stop what, chico?" Sawyer frowned, as he looked up to see Sayid had gone back to sharpening his bamboo sticks.

It was then that he spotted an angry looking Kali was also tied to a tree not that far away from him.

"The hell are you doing here, blue eyes?" Sawyer queried.

"I was trying to knock some sense into these idiots, but they're clearly too thick for me to get through to them" Kali exclaimed.

"It doesn't have to be this way" Jack stated.

"Yeah, it does" Sawyer replied, as Kali couldn't help but groan at their stubbornness.

Jack then stood up and walked a few metres away, as he leaned over, obviously uncomfortable with what was going to happen. Sayid crouched down beside Sawyer, who had enough sense to keep his mouth shut, if only for a moment.

"They do not have bamboo in Iraq. Although we do have something similar. Reeds. But their effect is the same, when the shoots are the same when they have inserted underneath the fingernails" Sayid explained, as Kali felt her mouth go dry.

"You know what I think, Ali? I think you've never actually tortured anybody in your life" Sawyer suggested.

"Unfortunately for us both…you're wrong" Sayid confessed, as Kali could tell from his tone that he was not lying.

She bit her lip as Sayid got up and went to sit behind Sawyer and knew what was going to come next. She expected sharpened bamboo would have a similar effect to knives. The result could be cleaner, but the result would still be the same as she had witnessed before. Pain. And lots of it.

"Don't do this!" She called over to Sayid, not able to stay quiet any longer.

He didn't seem to listen to her and grabbed Sawyer's hand roughly. She could tell he must have instantly pushed the shoot underneath Sawyer's fingernail from the large groan the blonde man emitted.

"That's it? That's all you got? Splinters? No wonder we kicked your ass in the Gulf" Sawyer egged him on.

A moment later, Sawyer's agonising scream could be heard, the pain clear in his voice. Kali was instantly transported back to her past, different screams merging together.

 _"_ _You do it, or I will" A cold voice told her, placing a small knife into her hand._

 _"_ _No, I…I can't" She shook her head._

 _"_ _We both know if I do it, I'll make it a thousand more times painful. Come on, Kali. You'll be doing him a kindness" The voice insisted, grabbing her small hand and pulling her forward._

 _"_ _Please don't make me do this" She cried, as she felt her face begin to get wet from tears._

 _"_ _You said you'd help me" The voice spat out._

 _"_ _Not like this" She muttered._

 _"_ _He's a bad guy, Kali! We both know it. You shouldn't feel any pity for him. You're not supposed to feel guilty" The voice went on._

 _"_ _I don't want to hurt anyone" She shook her head._

 _"_ _You're so selfish! I chose him for you! We were supposed to do this together. God…your pathetic" He grimaced, looking at the tears falling down her face._

 _He then roughly grabbed the knife from her hand, as she scrunched her eyes shut and the screams began._

 **"Sayid!"** A shout brought her back to the present day.

Sayid reluctantly let go of Sawyer's hands, who was still panting in pain. Kali let out a sigh of relief and hoped Jack would finally put an end to the madness.

"No. Don't stop now. I think my sinuses are clearing" Sawyer said, his voice hoarse from the screaming.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Jack questioned.

"Perhaps losing an eye will help loosen your tongue" Sayid suggested, grabbing Sawyer's hair and placing a blade against his face.

"Stop it! He's not going to talk" Kali exclaimed.

"She's right, Mohammad. Guess you're just not as good a torturer as you think you are" Sawyer stated, a small smirk on his face.

"...Of course, hurting you won't get you to talk, will it?" Sayid asked, as Sawyer shook his head.

Sayid then turned around and began walking over to a confused Kali, as he crouched down behind her.

"Maybe this will loosen your tongue" Sayid mumbled, as he pierced the bamboo shoot under one of her fingernails.

Kali let out a loud scream as she hadn't been expecting the attack and tried to pull her hands away but Sayid was too strong.

"Stop! Stop, I'll tell you! I'll tell you, okay?!" Sawyer yelled.

Jack quickly pulled Sayid away from Kali and grabbed the now bloody bamboo from his hands.

"That's enough!" Jack told him.

"Where is it?" Sayid asked Sawyer.

"The only person I'm going to tell is her…if she keeps up her end of the deal. Tell me what I asked for yesterday" Sawyer announced, indicating to Kali.

"Only if I can talk to him in private" Kali replied.

"No-" Sayid started, but Jack cut him off.

"Five minutes" Jack informed them, as he began pulling Sayid away.

"So…where do you want me to start?" Kali sighed.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Also, Merry Christmas! Sayid definitely took things too far in this chapter, and that's going to come back to haunt him. We got a glance into Kali's dark past in this chapter, and we'll get a lot of answers next time. Please leave a review:)

scripturient3201: You'll be getting lots of answers next chapter, I promise! I'm so glad you think I'm getting these characters right too, as there's always a worry of making them to OOC. Jack really can't understand why Kali seems to care so much about Sawyer, and to be honest, neither can Sawyer. Thank you for the review:)

farrahjohnson21: Thanks, haha. I hope you like this chapter:)


	13. Painful Memories

"The guy in your picture? Who is he?" Sawyer inquired.

"He's my brother" Kali replied.

"Gonna need more than that if you want those inhalers" Sawyer insisted.

"You have to promise me you won't tell anyone" Kali exclaimed.

"Trust me, if there's one thing I can do, it's keep a secret" Sawyer told her.

"…His name is Ken Dixon. And before you say it, yes that Ken Dixon" Kali sighed, after mulling it over for a few seconds.

"As in the Bullet Killer? That's your brother?" Sawyer questioned, his eyes wide, clearly not expecting that.

"Yep. My real name is Kalista Dixon" She announced.

"Kalista?" Sawyer laughed, unable to keep it in as she rolled her eyes.

"Okay, okay, laugh it up. You can see why I changed it when I was younger" Kali groaned.

"Were you parents' hippies or something?" Sawyer suggested, trying to contain his laughter.

"My mum's grandmother was called Kalista, I guess she liked the name" Kali shrugged.

"I remember one of my girlfriends would barely leave the house when they thought the Bullet Killer was in the US. I kept telling her it's a big damn country, but it didn't make any difference" Sawyer exclaimed.

"He only stayed in the US a couple of weeks. I guess he realised there were too many people looking for him" Kali mumbled.

"Hold up, when it first came out that he was the Bullet Killer, he was young. Really young. But you must have been even younger" Sawyer stated.

"I was nine when he got found out" Kali replied.

"I won't pretend that I know much about the case…but I do remember that they said his sister helped him" Sawyer announced, unable to keep the accusatory tone out his voice.

"There's more to the story. Everything was pretty normal with our family up until I was about eight. My brother had just turned thirteen and was acting weirdly. He had always been a bit…eccentric but he would barely talk to me and he'd always go out somewhere after school. I don't know, maybe I was jealous, but one day I decided to follow him home from school. But…he didn't leave. He just went to this old building on the site that was under construction...I smelt it before I saw it. There was a body right in the middle of the room. And my brother was just…staring at him. I tried to sneak away but he heard me…" Kali trailed off, her mind going back.

 _"_ _Kali?" Ken called out, as he saw his little sister backing away from him._

" _What…what happened?" She squeaked, as he approached her._

 _"Hey, it's okay._ _It's not what it looks like" Ken insisted, as Kali tried to edge towards the door, afraid._

 _"_ _He's dead…you killed him!" Kali cried, seeing all the blood around the body._

 _"_ _He was going to hurt me, Kali. Don't you recognise him? He's that man from down the street…the one who had all those rumours about him" Ken stated._

 _"_ _Mum told me to stay away from him" Kali mumbled._

 _"_ _And she was right too. He…he did things to kids. He was going to hurt me. I had to kill him. It was self-defence. He was a bad man" Ken explained._

 _"_ _We should tell Mum and Dad" Kali suggested._

 _"_ _No! No, you can't do that. You have to promise you'll never tell anyone. Not ever. Promise me!" Ken exclaimed, grabbing hold of her shoulders, roughly._

 _"_ _I…I promise" Kali gulped, more scared of her brother than the consequences of what was in front of her._

 _"_ _It's okay, Kali. Everything's going to be okay" He insisted, as he pulled her into a hug._

"And you believed him?" Sawyer questioned.

"I think so…this guy had a reputation. No one would miss him and I couldn't betray my brother" Kali explained.

"But I'm guessing it didn't stop there?" Sawyer suggested.

"I thought everything would go back to normal after that. But Ken was even colder, and he still was barely at home. So, I went back there…and there was another body. He told me that he couldn't help himself, that he just got angry and…lashed out. That the body I found him with wasn't the first one. I said I was going to tell our parents but he…he said if I ever told anyone he'd kill our little sister. He wouldn't even think twice" Kali grimaced, as Sawyer's eyes widened.

"I don't remember anything about him having another sister" Sawyer stated, getting a bad feeling.

"He was so angry with me after that. He started making me come along as he watched these people. He made me watch as he killed them. He tried to make me…I think he wanted me to kill so he'd feel normal. Like it was no big thing. But I couldn't do it. I was pretty messed up by that point that I barely noticed things that were happening in the rest of my life. I didn't even think about it when one of my teachers asked me to stay behind after school. He was a creep, but I didn't think he would try anything…I guess all the anger I had let build up with my brother just…came out. I grabbed a beaker that was near me and I smashed him over the head with it. I didn't mean to kill him. My brother had even more leverage after that, he said he'd blame all the killings on me if I told anyone. So, I started helping him…they were bad men. That's what I kept telling myself. Then when I was almost ten, he took one of the boys from his school…" Kali trailed off.

 _"_ _This is wrong!" Kali cried, as Ken placed the knife into her hand._

 _"_ _He beats up his little sister…he deserves it" Ken replied, as if it was nothing._

 _"_ _He's no different than you" Kali spat out._

 _"_ _Really? Okay, you're right. I'm a monster. And so are you" Ken stated._

 _"_ _That's not true. I don't want to do this!" Kali exclaimed._

 _"_ _That's bullshit, Kali. You're just like me" Ken told her._

 _"_ _I'm nothing like you!" She shouted, gripping the knife harder in her hand._

 _"_ _Go on then. Do it. Kill me. Go on!" Ken insisted, as he grabbed her hand and placed the knife against his throat._

 _"_ _Stop it!" She cried, trying to pull her hand away._

 _"_ _You want this to stop? There's only one way. You get one chance. Only one" Ken said, holding onto her hand so hard she was sure it would bruise._

 _"_ _Stop…please…" She sobbed, as he let go of her with a huff._

 _"_ _You're right, you are nothing like me. I could never be as pathetic as you" Ken mocked._

 _"_ _I'm going to tell them. Mum and Dad. I'm going to tell everyone" Kali announced._

 _"_ _I told you Kali, you had one chance to end this. And you didn't take it" He replied, making her frown._

 _Before she could say anything, his fist was suddenly flying towards her and then everything was black._

"When I woke up, he was gone, and the boy was dead. I rushed home, I was going to tell them everything. I didn't care about what would happen to me, I just needed to stop him. But the police were already there. I thought that maybe he had already turned himself in. But I was wrong. He had gone through with his promise. He had killed our sister…and our parents. And it was my fault. I told the police everything. I guess I was lucky, a few more months and I would have been charged for the all the other murders. Sometimes I wish I was…" Kali admitted.

"You were nine years old…there's nothing you could have done-" Sawyer started, but she cut him off.

"I could have killed him. I could have told the police the first time it happened. But I didn't" Kali sighed.

"You were a kid and made a mistake" Sawyer insisted.

"Why are you being so nice about this? I've killed people!" Kali argued.

"I'm not really in a place to judge. You're not the only person on this island that has killed people" Sawyer grimaced, as Kali realised what he was saying.

"Oh...Are you going to tell them?" Kali asked, a moment later.

"No" Sawyer shook his head.

"Maybe you should…they deserve to know" Kali suggested.

"I've known some pretty bad people in my life, but you ain't one of them, Kali" Sawyer reasoned, actually calling her by her name for once.

"Thank you" Kali sighed, not being able to keep the relief out of her voice.

It had been so good not having to deal with the usual looks of distrust and murmured comments behind her back since she got the island. She couldn't bear the thought of being trapped on an island full of people who knew what she had done.

"I don't have it" Sawyer blurted out.

"What?" Kali frowned.

"The medicine. I don't have it. I never did" Sawyer admitted, now feeling bad for lying about it and forcing to Kali to tell him such a big secret.

"You…son of a bitch. Jesus, I can't believe I actually believed you!" Kali exclaimed, loud enough that Jack and Sayid came running.

"What's going on?" Jack inquired.

"He doesn't have it" Kali sighed.

"He's lying. Can't you see that? He's been lying since the beginning. He doesn't want us to get off this island. That's why he attacked me" Sayid stated.

"Hold on a minute, now" Jack replied.

"He destroyed the transceiver!" Sayid exclaimed, looking vehemently at Sawyer.

"You don't know that!" Jack argued, as Sayid went to lunge for Sawyer.

Unbeknownst to the rest of them, Sawyer had been working on untying his hands, and just as Sayid approached him, he was able to get loose. He grabbed Sayid and wrestled him to the ground, trying to keep the knife in Sayid's hand away from him.

"Jack, untie me. Now!" Kali insisted, as Jack quickly did so.

Just as she got her hands free, she heard a loud scream from Sawyer and gasped when she saw Sayid had stabbed him in the arm.

"Sawyer!" She cried, as she rushed towards him.

"What the hell did you do?!" She yelled as she pushed Sayid away from him, shoving him in the chest.

"He's hit an artery" Jack exclaimed, his hand reaching to grab the handle.

"Wait! What are you doing? He's going to bleed out if you take it out now" Kali pointed out, grabbing his arm.

"Sayid I need my stuff from the caves. My leather backpack. Go!" Jack ordered, a disorientated Sayid.

Kali gave Jack a distrustful look, as she took off her shirt, leaving her in just a tank top. She knew that Jack would have to be aware that taking the knife out now would have been too dangerous. Was he trying to kill Sawyer, she couldn't help but wonder? She handed Jack her top who quickly wrapped it around the knife's edge to help stem the bleeding. Kali worried that it wouldn't be enough.

"Let go. I know you want to" Sawyer suggested.

"Shut up and stop moving" Jack retorted, pressing against his wound harder.

"You've been waiting for this, haven't you? Now you get to play the hero again, because that's what you do, fix everything up all nice" Sawyer goaded.

"Stop it, Sawyer" Kali exclaimed.

"Tell him to let go, blue eyes. I've got to see you with your shirt off, what else do I got to live for?" Sawyer went on, as Kali blushed lightly, thinking he was becoming delirious.

"If I take my tank top off too, will you shut up?" She replied, as Sawyer's eyes lit up mischievously.

"Maybe if you-" Sawyer started, but Jack cut him off.

"You're really going to flirt as you bleed to death? You two really don't quit, do you?" Jack rolled his eyes.

"Your one to talk…is there some clinical need that's causing you to keep staring at Kate's ass?" Kali smirked.

"She's got you there, Doc" Sawyer choked on a laugh, as things began spinning around him.

"Sawyer?" He heard Kali's worried voice call out before everything went black.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I feel like Kali's backstory turned into something more dramatic than I meant it to, but then again I think all the character's on Lost's backstories are a bit much, haha. Please leave a review:)

Juneselene: Aw, thank you so much for this review:) I'm really glad you're enjoying Sawyer and Kali's relationship, and I hope you are happy with Kali's backstory.


	14. The Golf Course

Sawyer woke up slowly, his eyes fluttering open as he quickly registered the pain coming from his upper arm. He looked down a saw a large bandage was now covering his wound and grunted lightly as he tried to sit up.

"How're you feeling?" Kali questioned, from when she was sitting on a nearby plane chair.

"Peachy" Sawyer replied, as Kali turned to face him.

"Where's Jack?" Sawyer asked.

"He's gone back to the caves to check on Shannon. He stitched you up and helped me carry you back here first" Kali explained.

"I'm surprised he didn't just leave me out there" Sawyer mumbled, darkly.

"He feels guilty…and Sayid's gone" Kali informed him.

"Gone where?" Sawyer frowned.

"Another part of the island, I guess. Good riddance" Kali grumbled, fidgeting with her now bandaged up finger.

"Is Shannon still…?" Sawyer trailed off.

"Barely breathing? Yeah. Why didn't you just say you didn't have the medication?" Kali sighed, as he shrugged.

She then reached into her back pocket and took out the letter, as his eyes widened, and she knew if he was at full health, he would have grabbed it from her hands.

"I know you're not Mr. Sawyer. And I know you wrote this letter" Kali stated.

"Just give it back" Sawyer exclaimed.

"No. I want to hear you say it. You know my history now…so I want the same in return" Kali suggested.

"I don't remember making that deal" Sawyer retorted.

"Will you at least tell me your real name then?" Kali insisted.

"…James. James Ford" Sawyer all but whispered.

Reluctantly, Kali leaned forward and handed him the letter back, which he quickly took. She then pushed herself upright, and was going to leave, before he called out to her.

"He was a confidence man" Sawyer announced, as she turned back around.

"Romanced my mama to get to the money. Wiped them out clean, left a mess behind. So, I wrote that letter. I wrote it knowing that one day I would find him. But that ain't the sad part either…When I was 19, I needed six grand to pay these guys off I was in trouble with. So, I found a pretty lady with a dumb husband who had some money. And I got him to give it to me. How's that for a tragedy? I became the man I was hunting. Became Sawyer" He explained, slight tears welling up in his eyes.

"You did what you had to survive" Kali suggested.

"I'm not a good guy, blue eyes" Sawyer insisted, shaking his head.

"Neither am I" Kali shrugged, as a comfortable silence washed over them.

* * *

Sun was able to help with Shannon's asthma by using eucalyptus she found on the island, and thankfully soon enough Shannon was back to her normal self. Everyone was treating Sawyer as an outsider more than ever, which led to Kali not being surprised when Jack approached her and told her she would have to bandage Sawyer's arm herself.

"I swear you and Jack bicker more than school kids" Kali shook her head, as she entered his tent.

"I can't help it…he's fun to annoy" Sawyer shrugged, as Kali sat down in front of him.

"Your wound's healing well" She pointed out, as she grabbed some peroxide from beside her.

"Why thank you, Nurse Dixon" Sawyer smirked, as Kali roughly dabbed the peroxide onto his arm.

"Keep your voice down, Mr. Ford" Kali retorted, as he hissed in pain.

"Alright, alright. I get it. Mutually assured destruction and all that" Sawyer replied.

Kali had to hoover above Sawyer to bandage his muscular upper arm, avoiding his eyes that were very close to her face. Sawyer seemed to notice this quickly and couldn't stop the grin that was growing on his face.

"Uncomfortable?" He suggested, as she rolled her eyes and continued her work.

"Just trying to concentrate" Kali mumbled, as she held the ends of the bandages down with two fingers.

"Well I have to say I'm definitely enjoying the view" Sawyer smirked, as Kali realised his eyes were level with her chest.

"You asshole" She laughed, as she shoved his good arm.

"I'm just being honest" Sawyer replied, laughter in his own voice.

Kali finished taping the bandages down and sat back to admire her work. She was missing her training more than she had expected. She missed the normal and structured way her life had been. She was drawn out of her thoughts as she watched Sawyer's eyes gaze over a familiar brunette.

"Oh, I get it now…" Kali trailed off, with a smug smirk.

"What?" Sawyer frowned, looking away.

"The Doc clearly has the hots for Kate, and so do you. That's why you two keep pissing each other off" Kali realised.

"If that were the case…who do you think she has the hots for?" Sawyer inquired.

"After the way you've both been acting lately? I'm gonna go with neither" Kali grinned.

"Well we're still clearly the most eligible people on this island" Sawyer retorted.

"Hmm…I don't know about that. I think that's a grey hair I see there" Kali teased, as she ran her hand through his blond locks.

"And I thought the Doc had a bad beside manner" Sawyer joked, as he shook her hand out of his hair.

* * *

Later that day, Kali was checking on how Shannon was doing when Boone approached the pair.

"You're never going to believe this!" Boone announced, as he crouched down beside them.

"You finally learnt to tie your own shoe laces?" Shannon mocked, making Kali giggle.

"Funny. Someone at caves built a golf course" Boone informed them.

"Are you high?" Shannon asked, not believing him.

"Seriously, a golf course. Jack's playing with them right now" Boone went on.

"Hold up…Jack's actually doing something fun? God must be the end of the world" Kali suggested, making Boone laugh.

"You should come. When's the next time you'll see this happening?" Boone insisted.

"Probably never" Kali agreed.

"I think I'll pass on this one. My tans still not evened out" Shannon mumbled, as she rolled onto her back.

"How far away are we talking?" Kali questioned.

"Only a few miles-" Boone started, as Kali groaned.

"Am I really going to have to carry you?" Boone teased, as he reached out and started to drag her away from Shannon.

"Alright, alright. I'm coming. This better be worth it" Kali giggled, brushing Boone's hands off her.

"Don't worry, I'll make it worth your time" Boone grinned, flirtatiously.

"You better. I will grab my shoes and meet you there" Kali replied, standing up.

"Don't make me wait too long" Boone smiled, as he began walking off towards the jungle.

"Looks like bonehead has a crush on you" A familiar voice stated, as she walked towards her bags.

"That's a pretty good one, I'll give you…a seven out of ten" Kali shook her head, fondly, as she slipped on her shoes.

"I feel so accomplished" Sawyer responded, placing his hand over his heart.

"You should come too" Kali suggested, turning to him.

"I don't think so. Not big on crowds. And let's face it the crowds not too big on me either" Sawyer pointed out, looking down at his shoes.

"Probably because you keep giving them shitty nicknames" Kali told him.

"Hey, they're very inventive!" Sawyer exclaimed, making Kali laugh.

"How is blue eyes inventive?" Kali retorted, smugly.

"Yeah well, it's…different with you" Sawyer shrugged, before walking off, leaving her confused.

* * *

Kali groaned in defeat when Charlie missed his shot and didn't manage to get the golf ball in the hole.

"It's all up to you, Jack. Sink this and you win a blazer" Michael stated.

"No pressure" Kate piped up, with a smirk.

"Yeah, no pressure" Charlie mumbled, as he handed Jack the golf club.

"Dude, how could you lose it for us Brits? We were all counting on you!" Kali exclaimed.

"We're the only Brits on the island, Kali" Charlie retorted.

"Oh yeah…but still. Shame on you" Kali teased, as Charlie dropped down by her side with a groan.

"Five bucks says he sinks it" Hurley mumbled.

"Mate, you're betting against me?" Charlie asked.

"Sorry dude, but you're a duffer like me" Hurley replied, as Charlie flopped onto his back with an even louder groan.

"Make it ten and you're on" Boone exclaimed.

"Damn, these are some high stakes" Kali mocked, as Boone nudged her playfully.

"I've got two tubes of sunscreen and a flashlight says he chokes" Sawyer announced, out of nowhere.

Everyone turned around to look at him, disapproving looks in most of their faces. Kali couldn't help but cringe at the awkward silence.

"I'll take that action" Kali told him, as they shared a smile together.

"What do you even have to offer?" Charlie asked from beside her.

"My wonderful company obviously" Kali shrugged, as numerous people around her laughed.

"Yeah. I'll take that action too" Boone added, noticing the looks between Sawyer and Kali.

They all turned to watch as Jack was easily able to get the golf ball in the hole, as Kali mumbled a curse.

"Sorry guys" Jack grinned, holding the golf club up in triumph.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter! I'm adding a bit more Boone into the mix, but as you can probably tell it's Sawyer that's still grabbing her attention. There will be some Sawyer/Kate in this story, but it'll still mostly be Kali/Sawyer. Please leave a review:)

scripturient3201: Thank you for the review:) Yep, it was pretty crazy, haha. Glad you enjoyed it!

kz4valentina: Aw, thank you so much for all the reviews, it was nice that you gave me so much feedback:) Sawyer is definitely my favourite character. I'm really glad that you like Kali and I've been able to make you root for them. Yeah, Kali's going to have Sawyer's back a lot more than Kate ever did. Kali and Sawyer's relationship is definitely going to be slow burn, but they'll get there, haha.


	15. Missing

**A/N:** I don't usually do this but I have published a new story that is very dear to my heart and it would mean a lot to me if you guys could check it out! It's called Somebody to Die For and is a Supernatural fanfic. Here is the link /s/13199790/1/Somebody-To-Die-For or alternatively you can click on my profile and view it there. It's a Demon!OC, so it's going to be a bit different. Thank you:) I hope you enjoy the new chapter below!

* * *

Kali wasn't happy when she found out she was one of the last people to be told that Claire had been attacked the night before. However, she quickly realised that she hadn't even talked to Claire in the last week, and instantly felt bad. She couldn't imagine how terrifying it was to be pregnant on the island.

"Hey, how's my favourite pregnant lady doing?" Kali smiled, as she approached Claire.

"I'm okay" Claire shrugged, as Kali took in her washed out appearance.

"I heard about what happened. Did you see who attacked you?" Kali questioned.

"No, it was too dark. But it was definitely a man" Claire replied.

"Well that narrows it down to…well about half the people on this island" Kali sighed, as she sat down opposite Claire.

"You believe me, then?" Claire asked.

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" Kali frowned.

"Jack doesn't believe me…I think Charlie might be the only person who does" Claire admitted.

"Well you can add another name to that list. Trust me Claire, I know what it's like to have people not believe you…" Kali trailed off.

"Now everyone just thinks I'm crazy" Claire mumbled.

"They're just scared. You've rattled them and now they're freaked out" Kali shrugged.

"But what if that guy comes back?" Claire queried.

"Do you want me to move up here?" Kali suggested.

"Oh…I couldn't ask you to do that. Your friends are down there" Claire pointed out.

"Well you're my friend too, and I feel a little guilty that I wasn't around when this happened" Kali confessed.

"It's okay, really. Charlie's barely been two feet away from me since it happened" Claire told her, with a small smile.

"Oh…I see" Kali said, sending her a wink.

"It's not like that-" Claire started, but Kali cut her off.

"Don't worry my lips are sealed" Kali smirked, as Claire shook her head, fondly.

* * *

"She alright, then?" Sawyer inquired, when Kali had trekked back down to the beach.

"She's scared out of her mind…but she's safe" Kali replied.

"Why do you care so much, blue eyes?" Sawyer inquired, as she sat down on a pile of briefcases.

"She's pregnant" Kali stated, as if the answer should have been obvious.

"So?" Sawyer responded.

"So, she's vulnerable. She needs someone to watch her back" Kali pointed out.

"And that has to be you, does it?" Sawyer went on.

"Well I have a lot to make up for, don't I?" Kali suggested, as they shared a look.

"Hey…oh, good you're here, Kali. I need to ask you a few things for this census" Hurley announced, as he walked towards the tent.

"What kind of things?" Kali questioned.

"Just your full name, place of residence, what you were doing in Australia…that kind of thing" Hurley informed her, looking down at his notepad, ready to write down whatever she told him.

Kali gulped and cursed herself for not coming up with a false name earlier or a backstory for that matter. She pulled her hair back behind her ear, in a nervous gesture as she racked her brain.

"Um…well…" She stuttered, as Sawyer stood up.

"She doesn't have to tell you anything, pork scratchings. So, run along" Sawyer commanded, coming to stand beside her.

"Oh, come on, I was just-" Hurley started, but Sawyer cut him off.

"Are you deaf or something?" Sawyer questioned, taking a step forward.

"Okay, okay! How about we cut a deal then?" Hurley inquired.

"I'm listening" Sawyer frowned.

"I need the manifest so I can cross people's names off, and I know you have it. Give it to me and I'll look over the both of you" Hurley suggested.

"Sounds fair to me" Kali stated.

In response, Sawyer turned around and gently snaked his arm around Kali's waist, pulling her towards him. Kali almost tipped over at this gesture and had to cling onto his tanned arm to balance herself. She was about to ask what he was doing, when she realised the manifest must have been in the briefcase, He used his other hand to grab the briefcase she was sitting on, before lowering her back down, effortlessly. Kali couldn't stop the light blush that had begun to dust her cheeks and was thankful that Sawyer hadn't seemed to notice. He pushed the briefcase towards Hurley, who's eyes seemed to be going back and forth between the pair.

"What? You want a handshake?" Sawyer questioned, somehow making it sound threatening.

"…I'm gonna take a wild guess and say you weren't on that manifest at all?" Sawyer suggested, once Hurley was walking away.

"It was a last minute thing. I dressed up as an air stewardess…I didn't think I'd actually get in, but no one seemed to bat an eye" Kali confessed, as Sawyer raised an eyebrow.

"I think I'd remember if you were wearing an air stewardess outfit" Sawyer stated, a small smirk on his face.

"I changed after lift-off and came to sit next to you. It was worryingly easy" Kali replied.

"Why'd you decide to fly, anyways? You seemed pretty scared of it on the plane" Sawyer asked, remembering their first encounter.

"…My brother was supposed to be on the plane" She informed him, as his eyes widened.

"What?" Sawyer frowned.

"I had tracked him down to Sydney, found out what fake name he had been using and then out of nowhere he booked a flight. I thought he must have known I was looking and decided to make a run for it but…he wasn't on the plane. I don't know, maybe it was a decoy…" Kali trailed off, still finding the way she found herself on the plane strange.

"So, you were never supposed to be on the plane?" Sawyer realised.

"Guess it was just my lucky day, huh?" Kali sighed.

* * *

This time they found out early on what had happened at the caves. Claire and Charlie had been kidnapped. Presumably by someone named Ethan but Kali had never met or heard of them before. As everyone rushed around in a panic, Kali began to pack up a bag, trying to guess how much food or water she would need for a full day of hiking.

"What are you doing?" Sawyer inquired.

"I'm going after them" Kali replied, as Sawyer shook his head.

"There are already enough people looking for them" Sawyer pointed out.

"Another set of eyes won't hurt" She retorted, slinging her bag onto her back.

"You're just going to get yourself hurt or lost out there" Sawyer insisted.

"Well then maybe you should come" Kali said, as more of a statement than a suggestion.

"And run around all day looking for two people that are already probably-" Sawyer started, but Kali cut him off.

"Forget I asked" She shrugged, as Sawyer let out a huff.

He watched as she rushed over to Boone and Shannon, who seemed to be having the same idea from the bags they were carrying. He leaned against the side of his tent as he listened in on their conversation.

"Hey! Are you guys going to search for Claire?" She guessed.

"Yeah, I heard Locke's organising a search party" Boone informed her.

"Wait, I thought we were just going to fill up on water and then come back to the beach?" Shannon stated.

"While two people from our group are missing? I don't think so" Boone argued.

"Since when is it our group? You barely even know them" Shannon retorted.

"They're in danger, Shannon. Are you going to come or not?" Boone asked.

"Not" Shannon hissed, as she threw her bag towards him and walked off.

"Looks like it's just you and me then" Kali pointed out, as Boone watched Shannon go, clearly wanting to call after her.

"Sounds good to me" He smiled at her, after a moment.

Sawyer watched in annoyance as the pair set off into the jungle together and thought about going after them. After mulling it over for a moment, he decided against it. If Kali wanted to go running off into the jungle that was her problem, not his. Or at least that's what he was telling himself.

* * *

Author's Notes: Kali and Sawyer always seem to get in arguments don't they, haha? I think it's because she's so stubborn and Sawyer was an asshole sometimes in Season 1. Please leave a review:)

kz4valentina: Thank you for the review, I'm really glad you're enjoying the story:) Yeah, I didn't like how the scene went much either, but I can understand that Sawyer would have hated someone pitying him.

Barrentine: Aw, thank you so much! This was so nice to read:) I also love Lost, and was a bit disappointed when I went looking for fanfiction on the show myself so I thought, hey why not make my own one?

scripturient3201: I think you could be right there with Boone, haha. He's going to notice the tension between her and Sawyer in future chapters, and see if he has a chance with Kali or not. I totally know what you mean with Kate, I like her, but she really didn't treat Sawyer very well. Sawyer is going to be become one of Kali's main priorties as this story continues. Thanks for the review:)


	16. Searching

"Jack? I think it's time for a break" Boone announced, when he saw Kali had begun to lag behind them.

Her leg wound from the crash was healing well, but it still meant that she couldn't keep up with the others. The pain was starting to become clear on her face the more she moved the limb.

"It's got to be almost 4 o'clock. It'll be dark soon" Jack retorted.

"It's 4:25 and yes, we're taking a break" Locke informed him, taking his pack off.

"You don't have to tell me twice" Kali sighed, as she flopped down to the floor.

"Here, have some water" Kate offered, holding out her bottle.

"Trying to get back into my good books, Kate?" Kali suggested.

"Look, about what happened with Sawyer-" Kate began, but she stopped her.

"Just admit you made the wrong call and we're even" Kali told her.

"Okay…I screwed up. I'm sorry" Kate admitted, as Kali took a sip of the drink.

"Apology accepted. You got any food?" Kali smiled up at her.

"I do. Here you go" Boone stated, as he handed her some sort of breakfast bar, sitting down beside her.

"Thank you" Kali replied, patting him on the shoulder.

"Alright, two minutes and then-" Jack started, but Kali cut him off.

"And then we all pass out from exhaustion? Is that your plan, Jack?" Kali rolled her eyes.

"Look, if you're not up to it then head back" Jack retorted.

"No, you're the one who's not up to this. I get it, okay? You feel guilty but getting yourself killed is not going to help" Kali explained.

"What do you mean guilty? You blame me for this?" Jack frowned.

"You should have believed Claire and you know it. But the fact of the matter is that this Ethan guy would have probably still found a way to get to her. There's nothing you could have done to prevent this" Kali told him.

"…Fine. 15 minutes" Jack announced, before stomping off, as Kate followed him.

"Doctors…they're so stubborn" Kali grumbled, before taking a bite of the cereal bar.

* * *

Soon enough the group found two trails to follow and decided to split up. Kate and Jack went together, as Kate had some tracking skills, while Kali stayed with Locke and Boone. Kali was becoming more aware every moment how lost they would be if something happened to Locke. Even with the red cloth they were leaving behind them, she doubted she'd be able to find her way back. Trying to take her mind off the danger, she started up a conversation with Boone.

"So, why'd you come out here Boone?" Kali couldn't help but ask.

"What do you mean?" He frowned.

"Well Jack came because he feels guilty, Kate came because Jack did, and Locke seems desperate to look around the island whenever he can…so why did you come?" She clarified.

"I guess I just wanted to help. Claire's pregnant…who knows what they could be doing to her…" Boone trailed off, genuine worry in his eyes.

"We could get lost out here, or worse…you'd risk your life for a woman you barely know?" Kali questioned.

"She needs help. It's that simple. What about you?" Boone inquired.

"I offered to stay up in the caves and watch out for her…but I didn't. And now she's gone" Kali stated.

"You feel guilty too" Boone realised.

"I knew she was telling the truth. I should have been there" Kali sighed.

"What could you have done?" Boone pointed out.

"You don't think I could have taken this Ethan guy on?" Kali raised an eyebrow, a grin growing on her face.

"Well…I mean…your kind of…small?" Boone stuttered, cringing at his words.

"You certainly know how to flatter a lady, Boone" Kali laughed.

"Sorry, I'm a bit out of practice" Boone chuckled.

"Oh, come on, I bet off this island you have women practically throwing themselves on you" Kali suggested.

"I don't tend to reciprocate" Boone admitted.

"Oh…oh! Sorry, I didn't realise you swung that way" Kali replied.

"What…oh no, I'm not gay" Boone laughed, awkwardly.

"Then why aren't you banging a different girl every week?" Kali inquired, as Boone let out a surprised laugh.

"You are one of a kind, Kali" Boone shook his head, fondly.

"Ah, I think I've got it now. There's a girl, isn't there?" Kali exclaimed, as Boone looked away.

"No. What makes you say that?" Boone inquired.

"Well there must be someone involved that has you showing no interest in other woman. Someone you love" Kali shrugged, as if it was obvious.

"I'm not in love with anyone" Boone told her.

"Hmm, I think you are" Kali mumbled.

"I'm definitely not" Boone insisted.

"Let me guess…she's a blonde" Kali suggested, as Boone let out a tiny laugh.

"I knew it! It's always the blondes" Kali grinned.

"It's never going to happen. Me and her. It can't" Boone finally admitted.

"Why not?" Kali queried.

"Trust me. It just can't" Boone sighed.

"C'mon, you two. We're losing daylight fast" Locke called back to them, as they quickened their pace.

* * *

Sawyer was one of the last to be informed that Sayid had found the French Woman and ventured back to the caves after being injured. He went to confront him, but when he saw what state the man was in, he backed off. Sayid had told him that he thought there could be others on the island. Then Kate and Jack came back to the caves, claiming that Charlie had been attacked and almost killed.

"They're not back yet" Shannon announced, as the sun started to set.

"I'm sure they just made camp for the night" Kate suggested.

"You've seen what they did to Charlie! What if-" Shannon began, but Kate cut her off.

"If there's anyone on this island your brother's safe with…it's Locke" Kate tried to reassure her.

"Well just in case they've got split up from baldie, I'm going after them" Sawyer informed the pair, much to their surprise.

"Since when do you do anything even remotely helpful?" Jack pointed out, from where he was sat with Charlie by the fire.

"Well I don't see any of y'all lining up to volunteer" Sawyer grumbled, placing a few things into a backpack.

"Because we're not stupid. It's too dangerous to go running off into the jungle at night" Kate retorted.

"Dangers my middle name, sweetheart" Sawyer grinned, slinging the backpack over his shoulder.

"Sawyer, wait!" Jack exclaimed, standing up.

"What?" Sawyer snapped, turning around, as Jack approached him.

"Here…and good luck" Jack said, handing him a knife.

"I'll be back by morning" Sawyer nodded, before walking away.

"Never thought I'd see the day he'd be willing to do something selfless" Kate stated, as Jack frowned.

* * *

Kali cringed as the rain above them refused to let up, soaking the group more and more. It was getting dark and cold. She could tell Boone was beginning to get uneasy about following Locke, and even she was having doubts. He seemed to have stopped following the trail a long time ago.

"You think everyone's alright back at camp?" Boone inquired.

"I'm sure they're doing better than us" Kali mumbled.

"You don't think Ethan would go back do you? Take another woman?" Boone suggested.

"I think he wanted Claire in particular. He doesn't seemed to have been interested in anyone else" Kali theorised.

"Do you think he'd only be interested in pregnant women?" Boone asked.

"Hey, you're sister will be fine. There's plenty of people back at camp, and they'll all be on high alert" Kali reassured him, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah...yeah, you're right" Boone nodded.

"I wish my brother cared about me as much you do about Shannon" Kali mumbled.

"Someone needs to look out for her" Boone shrugged a small smile on his face.

All of a sudden, things seemed to piece together for Kali. The blonde girl that Boone loved, the one that he thought it would be so wrong for him to be with...was Shannon.

"Are you okay?" Boone frowned, when he saw she had stopped.

"Uh, yeah. I'm good" Kali nodded, putting on a fake smile.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I wanted to develop Kali's relationship with Boone a bit more this chapter, as I think she needs some more friends. However, how will she react now she knows about Shannon and him? Please leave a review:)

kz4valentina: Aw, thank you so much! I hope you like this chapter:) I've just started Season 5 at the moment, I'm trying to pace myself really because I don't want it to end.

scripturient3201: He certainly will, haha. There's going to be a lot of conflict when everyone finally finds out about her past, but that won't be for a little while. I thought it was a nice add on! Thank you for the review:)


	17. Friends?

"Locke, I think we should turn back" Kali announced, the rain finally having stopped, but she was still soaked.

"You can go back if you want, but I'm going to keep going" Locke advised.

"I think you're bleeding…" Boone trailed off, spotting the red on Kali's trousers.

She groaned as she realised her leg wound must have re-opened and was the reason why she was in so much pain.

"C'mon, John. We need to get her back to camp" Boone insisted, as Locke sighed, knowing he was right.

It was then that they heard a shuffling from the undergrowth behind them, as John pulled out his knife, ready to attack. Everyone sighed in relief as they saw it was only Sawyer, with a large backpack in tow. Kali couldn't keep the large smile on her face, as the familiar blonde approached them.

"Ah, the three musketeers! Didn't get very far, did you?" Sawyer accused.

"What do you mean?" Kali asked.

"You're only about five miles from camp" Sawyer informed them.

"So, we've been going in circles all night? I thought you were supposed to keep a good tracker, Locke?" Kali questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I must have got turned around back-" Locke started, but Sawyer cut him off, when he saw the blood on Kali's leg.

"What happened to your leg?" Sawyer inquired, a hint of concern in his voice.

"I must have reopened the wound after all this walking" Kali stated, as Sawyer rolled his eyes.

"I told you this was a bad idea!" Sawyer scolded her, with a shake of his head.

"I know, I know…do you have anything to wrap around my leg?" She queried.

With a few grumbled words under his breath, Sawyer pulled off the plaid shirt he was wearing, handing it to her.

"Well now you're going to get pneumonia" Kali suggested, but still took the shirt.

"More like you will" Sawyer pointed out, reaching out and playing with a few strands of her wet hair.

"You don't think this drowned rat look will catch on?" Kali joked, as she began typing the shirt around her leg, tightly.

Before Sawyer could reply, Boone was quickly at Kali's side, and helped to steady her as she finished tying the shirt.

"I think it would take a lot more than some rain to make you look bad, Kali" Boone interjected, as Sawyer rolled his eyes.

"Alright, Romeo. Let's start heading back" Sawyer advised.

"Actually, I'm going to keep going. We still haven't found Claire" Locke replied.

"Kate and the Doc couldn't find her either, but they did find Charlie…hanging by his neck" Sawyer told them, as Kali's eyes widened.

"What?! Is he okay?" She questioned.

"He'll live. The Doc saved the day, once again" Sawyer mumbled.

"Then it's even more reason to look for Claire. She could still be out here somewhere" Locke insisted.

"Alright, Indian Jones, we'll see you back at camp" Sawyer retorted, seeing as he had never really entered the jungle for the older man.

"Boone, are you coming?" Kali asked, seeing that he still hadn't moved.

"I'm going to stay with John. Two eyes are better than one" Boone explained.

"But you said-" Kali started, but he cut her off.

"I didn't want you going back to camp on your own. But he's here now…Tell Shannon I'll be back soon" Boone stated.

"Your funeral, bonehead" Sawyer retorted, as he began walking away.

"Be careful" Kali insisted, as she began following Sawyer.

"You too" Boone said, raising an eyebrow towards Sawyer.

"C'mon, blue eyes. Let's go" Sawyer exclaimed, his hand brushing against her arm, gesturing for her to follow him.

* * *

"So, how come you went looking for us?" Kali queried, as they got closer to the caves.

"Bonehead's sister was freaking out…I needed to do something to stop her from crying" Sawyer responded.

"Yet your returning with me, not Boone" Kali pointed out.

"At least I can tell her he's not dead" Sawyer shrugged.

"Hmm, I don't buy it. I think you were worried about me" Kali suggested, as Sawyer scoffed.

"And I think your overestimating your importance" Sawyer retorted.

With a thoughtful look on her face, Kali suddenly let out a cry of pain and started clutching her leg. Sawyer was instantly by her side, his hand touching the small of her back, a concerned look on his face.

"Ha! See, you are worried!" Kali grinned, nudging his shoulder lightly.

"Pft, only worried that I might have to carry you back" Sawyer grumbled, as he continued walking.

"You just don't want to admit that we're friends now" Kali stated.

"If I agree with you, will you drop it?" Sawyer inquired, as she nodded, happily.

"Fine, we're…friends" Sawyer mumbled, in a pained voice.

Kali couldn't stop the smile that grew on her face, knowing how much someone like Sawyer would hate to admitting that he cared about anyone.

* * *

The moment the pair returned to the caves, everyone rushed over to them, seeing the way that Kali was limping. She quickly explained that she was fine, and that Boone and Locke were too. Jack led her over to his part of the cave, with all the medical supplies, while Sawyer explained to the group what had happened. Kali's eyebrows shot up when she saw Sayid laying on his back, looking in a bad state.

"I thought you left" Kali announced, as she used her arms to lower herself to the ground.

"Do you want him to leave?" Jack asked, knowing that last time they met Sayid had tried to torture her.

"…No. Let's just get my leg dressed" Kali replied, taking a pair of scissors from Jack's hand.

She cut the thin fabric of her trousers up near her hip and saw that while the wound was still bleeding, it was just superficial. She was lucky. Jack was about to pour some peroxide onto the wound, but she put her hand up to stop him.

"I've got this" She told him, pouring a small amount onto her leg, hissing at the pain.

She then grabbed the gauze and bandage that he had left beside her, and began to tie it around her thigh, as Jack shook his head.

"You remember I'm a doctor, right?" Jack pointed out.

"I'm capable of bandaging a wound, Dr. Shepard" Kali retorted, as Jack let out an amused laugh.

"I'll see if I can find you some new trousers" He exclaimed, knowing she wasn't going to want his help.

"You shouldn't blame, Jack. It was me who hurt you and Sawyer" Sayid informed her, after a few seconds.

"He allowed it. That's almost as bad as doing the crime…" Kali trailed off, a dark tone to her voice.

"I'm truly sorry for what I did, Kali. I'm ashamed" Sayid sighed.

"You should be. You could have killed Sawyer" Kali argued.

"All I can say is I will do what I can to make it up to you both" Sayid told her.

"…What happened to you, anyways? You look like you got run over by a bus" Kali suggested.

"It was the French woman. She attacked me" Sayid replied.

"She's still alive?" Kali questioned, her eyes going wide.

"She's half mad now, it's no surprise…" Sayid mumbled.

"Having nothing to do but be haunted by your own thoughts for 16 years? You can say that again" Kali shuddered, at the thought.

"That's not quite what I meant…when I was out in the forest, I…I thought I heard something" Sayid admitted.

"Heard what?" Kali frowned.

"People. People whispering" Sayid answered.

"What were they whispering?" Kali insisted.

"I thought-" Sayid was cut off, as Sawyer suddenly entered the space.

"Hey, don't talk to her" Sawyer warned him, as he came to sit next to Kali, who finished bandaging up her leg.

"It's fine. Sayid was just apologising to me" Kali informed Sawyer, who simply grunted in response.

Kali was having a difficult time tearing the tape needed for the bandage, while having to use her other hand to hold down the bandage. Sawyer noticed this and placed his hand on her leg, keeping the bandage in place, as Kali gave him a grateful smile. She finished tapping it together in no time, as Sawyer let go of her leg. Sayid noticed how Kali continued to smile at Sawyer, even after Jack arrived with her new clothes. He felt sorry for Kali, expecting she was only going to get herself hurt getting closer to the older man.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I'm now well into Season 5 of Lost, and I'm really enjoying Sawyer and Juliet's relationship. I'm glad Sawyer has someone who has his back now. Please leave a review:)

kz4valentina: Thank you for the review:) I'm glad you're liking all my characterisations! I still haven't completely made my mind up with Boone's fate yet, so you never know. I think I'll be really sad when I finish the series, I'll want to rewatch it all over again, haha.

DrLexieSloan: Aw, thank you so much! It's always good to hear that you like what I've done with the characters and that you like Kali:) I hope you enjoy this update.


	18. Waterfall Fun

"Where are you off to?" Sawyer inquired, as he saw Kali leaving the camp, a few days after the failed rescue attempt.

"I'm going back out to look for Claire" Kali answered, as Sawyer's eyes widened.

"Because that worked out so well last time" Sawyer pointed out.

"My leg is much better now, and I'm not going to go out that far," Kali told him.

"You shouldn't be out there alone" Sawyer stated.

"Then I guess you better come to?" Kali suggested, raising an eyebrow, as a grin began on her face.

"Your beginning to be a real pain in my ass, you know that?" Sawyer grumbled, but followed her, nonetheless.

"Oh please, I'm a joy to be around" Kali retorted, as Sawyer scoffed, which resulted in a nudge to his shoulder from Kali.

* * *

They had been walking around the jungle for almost an hour but had still found nothing. No signs, no trail. Sawyer could tell it would be getting dark in a few hours and suggested they headed back. However, just as Kali was about to reply she heard an odd sound to her left. Water. Running water.

"Do you hear that?" Kali frowned.

"We've been out here for an hour and you're already losing your mind?" Sawyer teased, as Kali rolled her eyes.

She cautiously followed the noise, pushing through a dense area of trees and bushes, and gasped at what she saw on the other side. There was a beautiful waterfall in front of them, that looked far too serene to be on an island that could be so terrifying. It seemed secluded from the rest of the jungle by large rocks and high sprouting trees.

"Wow…" Kali trailed off, as Sawyer rushed forward, yanking his shirt over his head.

She felt her heart blip for a fraction of a second, as she gazed at Sawyer's muscular back. She pulled her gaze away from his tanned skin, the moment he turned around, but she could already feel the blush beginning on her face.

"There's a madman running around this jungle, kidnapping people…and you think it's a good time for a swim?" Kali inquired, trying to speak up before he said anything about her watching him.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll protect you" Sawyer grinned at her, taking his shoes off.

"Oh please, I could kick your ass any day," Kali told him, as she approached the water's edge.

"Oh yeah?" Sawyer questioned, standing up to his full height, towering over her.

"Yeah" She smirked before she raised her arms and shoved him into the cold water behind him.

Sawyer was spluttering when he came back to the surface, his blonde hair pressed against his face, covering his eyes. Kali couldn't help but erupt into a fit of giggles, as Sawyer pulled his wet hair out the way, to glare at her.

"Oh no…wait. Wait!" Kali cried, still laughing, as he rushed out of the water.

He then grabbed her legs, pulling her up against him bridal style, as she clung onto his shoulders in the hope that she could hold on. He then turned and threw her into the water, as she let out a loud scream. When Kali surfaced, Sawyer was already back in the water, a smug look on his face.

"Okay, okay. I deserved that" Kali admitted, as she tried taking her waterlogged shoes off.

She grimaced at the sight of the trainers that were filled with water and threw them towards the water's edge, hoping they would miraculously dry off. She then peeled off her plaid shirt, leaving her in just her wet tank top, and threw it towards her shoes.

"Well, don't stop on my account" Sawyer grinned, having watched this motion.

In response, Kali swam forward and attempted to duck his head under the water, getting no resistance from him. He then attempted to repeat her motion, pushing her under the water, but she grabbed onto his hands and pulled him down too. Laughing freely, the pair made their way to the steep rocks beside the waterfall, as Sawyer helped pull the shorter girl up. Once they were up to a reasonable distance, Kali jumped off, holding her legs to her chest as she cannonballed. Sawyer then dove in after her, finding her quickly underneath the water, as he grabbed her waist. Kali tried to push him away, giggling as she did so, the sound muffled by the water. She quickly pushed herself up to the surface, needing some air. It didn't take him long to realise that she was ridiculously ticklish, as every time he touched her waist, she wouldn't be able to contain her laughter. He pulled them both back underwater, a carefree smile on his face when he noticed the frown that had appeared on his companion. He looked towards where she was staring, his eyes widening when he saw two decomposed bodies not far from them. Kali was quickly swimming back to the surface, as he followed not far behind.

"Oh, Jesus…I thought the water was murky" Kali grimaced.

"We can't catch anything from swimming with dead bodies, can we?" Sawyer inquired.

"I don't think so…but you'll probably want to wash off tonight" Kali cringed.

"I'm going to go check em' out," Sawyer told her.

"Check them out for what?" Kali frowned.

"See what they got on them" Sawyer answered, as Kali gave him a look, but followed him anyway.

While Sawyer was preoccupied on grabbing the man's wallet, Kali was more interested in the large briefcase beneath his seat. After both had obtained their prizes, they swam back to the surface.

"Hey, got ourselves a wallet" Sawyer announced, waving it in the air.

"Where are you going to use that? The island mall?" Kali questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Smartass. What did you get?" He asked as she swam towards the edge of the water.

"Briefcase" She mumbled, throwing it onto the rocks.

"And how exactly will that be helpful towards us?" Sawyer questioned, as Kali couldn't help but notice he kept referring to them as an 'us' recently.

"People only have fancy briefcases when they have something worth hiding" Kali pointed out, as Sawyer couldn't help but agree.

The pair sat down on the rocks, as Kali began to inspect the suitcase. If nothing else it would take her mind off the wet, and shirtless man sitting beside her. When she peaked up to look at him, she noticed how his gaze was on her tank top that was plastered against her, not leaving a whole lot up to the imagination.

"Where did you get that?" A voice suddenly asked, as the pair's heads snapped up.

"Came to join the party, freckles?" Sawyer suggested.

"The briefcase. It's mine" Kate announced, surprising Sawyer.

"How convenient" Sawyer mumbled, as Kate held her hand out, sharing a look with Kali.

Kali clearly knew the briefcase wasn't hers and guessed it probably had to be the US Marshal's, as Kate wouldn't have been allowed any luggage as a prisoner. This only made the contents of the case more valuable, and Kali desperately wanted to know what was inside. However, Sawyer didn't seem to realise Kate had been the prisoner yet, and she expected he was probably the last person Kate would have wanted to know. Sawyer looked between the women, noticing the intense looks that they were sharing, and knew something was up.

"That case ain't yours, is it?" Sawyer realised.

"…No" Kate confessed, after a few seconds.

"I'll give you the suitcase if you do me a favour" Kali suggested, as Kate nodded.

"We found the case underneath two bodies in the water. Help us bury them, and the case is yours" Kali shrugged.

"Okay, deal" Kate agreed.

"Well have fun with that ladies" Sawyer announced, standing up.

"Oh, if you're too scared of being shown up by two women then fine" Kali shrugged.

"That reverse psychology bullshit won't work on me" Sawyer informed her.

"How about this then?" Kali questioned, holding up the wallet that Sawyer had grabbed from the dead body.

"What…when did you grab that?" Sawyer exclaimed, an impressed tone in his voice.

"When Kate arrived. So, you gonna help?" Kali grinned, as Sawyer sighed.

* * *

Between the three of them, it didn't take too long to bury the bodies. By the time they were done, both Kali and Sawyer's clothes were dried, being replaced by a thin layer of sweat.

"So, why is it so important to you that we bury these bodies?" Sawyer asked Kali, as Kate sat down with the briefcase on her lap.

"Everyone deserves a proper burial" Kali shrugged, as Sawyer could spot the guilt in her voice a mile away.

"That guilt is going to slowly eat away at you, blue eyes. You need to learn to live with it" Sawyer whispered, as Kali sighed, knowing what he was saying was true.

"Are we done now?" Kate inquired, as she stood up.

"Yep, we're done" Kali answered, as she handed Sawyer the wallet, that he had all but forgotten about.

As Kate went to walk away, Sawyer suddenly grabbed the briefcase from her hands and held it away from her reach.

"Hey, give that back! We had a deal" Kate exclaimed.

"You had a deal with her…I never agreed to anything" Sawyer smirked, as he began walking away.

Kate then turned to look at Kali, and raised an eyebrow, hoping the younger girl would help her.

"Hey, I kept quiet with your secret. I'm not gonna wrestle him for the case too" Kali told her, as she left Kate by the graves.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I liked this update, even if it was a bit of a filler, it's nice for those two to get some time on their own and have some fun. Please leave a review:)

DrLexieSloan: That's great to hear! I also fall in love with Sawyer whenever I watch Lost, haha. I really liked Skate in Season 1-3 but after that I feel like she chose Jack and should have really let Sawyer go. But their chemistry is undeniable. I'm trying to make my chapters a little bit longer, but I don't think they'll ever be much longer than 2000 words max. Thanks for the review:)

scripturient3201: Thank you for the reviews! I think we're slowly going to start seeing how Kali being around is going to change things, so that'll be a lot of fun. I love a good slow burn, angsty relationship, so that's their outlook so far, haha.

kz4valentina: Aw, thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying this story:) Kali will be affecting events slowly, so we'll have to wait and see what that means for Boone.

Guest: Thanks for the review. You've given me some good points, and I agree I defintetly need to develop Kali's character some more, and see how her backstory effects her. In regard to her personality being rude and such, I've done that on purpose tbh, I don't like OC's that are perfect. I like her being a bit rude and not getting on with everyone. And your right really, she is a little girl who thinks she's smarter than everyone else, haha. But she's only young and being on this island will help her mature, don't worry. I'm glad you think Sawyer and Kali's relationship is working! They have a lot of interesting similarities. The character's in Lost are really strong, so I was never expecting my OC to quite hold up to them, haha. I hope you continue reading:)


	19. Competition

"Are you really still trying to open that thing?" Kali shook her head, as she approached Sawyer's tent.

"Don't you want to know what's inside it?" Sawyer questioned.

"I'll be happy enough either way" Kali shrugged, as she leaned against one of the metal beams.

"Dammit" Sawyer groaned, as the pin he was using to open the lock broke in half.

"You must really want to get into Kate's pants" Kali laughed, at his frustrated expression.

"I just want to know what's so important to her" Sawyer mumbled.

"That wasn't a denial" Kali pointed out, with a smirk.

"Someone jealous?" Sawyer inquired, not sure why he said it.

"I just think there would be better ways to go about it," Kali told him, not missing a beat.

"Oh really? You think you know how to seduce women better than me?" Sawyer scoffed.

"Maybe" Kali shrugged, as he turned to look at her.

"Alright, blue eyes. Let's put it to the test. The first person to get a kiss off a woman on this island wins" Sawyer announced, wondering whether she would take the bait.

"…Deal. And I know what I want if I win" She replied, mulling it over for a second.

Sawyer tried to keep the surprise off his face that she accepted, the girl never ceased to surprise him. Not many girls could do that.

"And what's that?" Sawyer asked, flirtatiously as he stood up.

"This tent" She smirked.

"What?" He frowned, stopping in front of her.

"If I win, I get this tent. You can keep your stash…I don't really care about that. And if you win, I'll get that case open for you" She went on.

"How'd you expect to do that?" Sawyer questioned, genuinely curious.

"You'll just have to wait and see" She grinned.

"Alright, so how long have we got to get this kiss?" He queried.

"An hour," She told him, as his eyes widened.

"An hour?! How am I supposed to seduce some lady in an hour?" Sawyer asked.

"Don't expect me to give you any of my ideas" Kali teased, as she raised an eyebrow and walked away.

* * *

Kali laughed as she saw Kate slap Sawyer in the face when he leaned in to kiss her. Kali had been watching the interaction for a few minutes and it clearly wasn't going well. She looked at her watch and saw she only had ten minutes left to win.

"Plenty of time…" Kali trailed off, surveying the beach.

She tilted her head when she saw Sayid and Shannon sitting together, Sayid was leaning his head on his hand, a soft look in his eyes. Shannon was giggling like a school girl. Huh, when did that happen, Kali thought to herself.

"Not interrupting anything, am I?" Kali announced as she came to stop in front of the pair.

"Uh, no we were just…I'm helping him with French" Shannon stuttered, as Sayid coughed awkwardly.

"Oh, I bet you were" Kali laughed, as the pair blushed.

"I have a proposition for you, Shannon" Kali exclaimed.

"What kind of proposition?" Shannon inquired.

"If you help me out, I have a suitcase full of bikinis. They're all designer as far as I can tell. And I'll throw in these shades too" Kali told her, handing her the sunglasses.

"Okay, I'm listening. What do you want me to do?" Shannon questioned.

"Well, I'm currently having a little competition with Sawyer. Whoever gets a kiss from a girl on the island first wins and I've got about…seven minutes left. So, you want to play seven minutes in heaven?" Kali smirked, a flirtatious tone to her voice.

Both Sayid and Shannon seemed surprised by Kali's frank attitude, as Shannon seemed to debate it in her head for a few seconds.

"…Okay" Shannon shrugged, as she went to lean into Kali.

"Woah, slow down tiger. I need to make sure Sawyer sees this. Hey, dimples! You better vacate your tent now!" She called over to him.

Sawyer turned to look at her, crossing his arms and waiting to see if she would really kiss the girl. With a smug look on her face, Kali turned back to Shannon and snaked her hand around Shannon's neck. She pulled their faces closed and then leaned in to kiss the blonde, who also seemed surprised that she was really kissing her. The kiss was short, but it was no peck on the lips. As Kali pulled away, she turned to Sawyer triumphantly, whose mouth was hanging open.

"I win" She exclaimed, as Sawyer slammed mouth closed.

"Oh, and Sayid…she's a pretty good kisser," Kali told him, raising an eyebrow, as Sayid had to contain his laughter.

* * *

"Home sweet home" Kali grinned, as she flopped down on one of the plane seats.

"You really gonna chuck a man out of his home?" Sawyer asked, walking up to her.

"Hmm, I suppose I could take pity on you. How were you supposed to know I was so good at seducing people?" Kali hummed.

"You cheated" He pointed out.

"I'm surprised you didn't" Kali retorted.

"Where am I supposed to go?" Sawyer questioned.

"You can have my sleeping bag" Kali shrugged, indicating to a duffel bag and a sleeping bag further down the beach.

"That's where you've been sleeping?" Sawyer realised.

"You can see why I'm grouchy in the mornings" Kali mumbled, as Sawyer felt bad that he had never realised Kali didn't even have a tent.

"…I guess we could always share this tent" Kali shrugged, dismissively.

"You want to move in with me? Baby, this is all moving too fast for me" Sawyer said, in a mocking tone, as Kali nudged him with her foot.

"C'mon, I'm already here most of the time, and I don't exactly have much stuff" Kali pointed out.

"All right. Why not, I guess" Sawyer exclaimed, as Kali made a gesture of victory.

Kali couldn't keep the grin off her face as she realised her plan had worked perfectly. She couldn't believe she had been able to con the Con man. Her plan the whole time had been to find a way to move into the tent.

"Hey, what's this I hear about you kissing my sister?" A voice announced, pulling Kali away from her thoughts, seeing Boone in front of her.

"First house rule. No visitors I don't like" Sawyer told her, as she rolled her eyes and stood up.

"You don't like anyone" She pointed out, as Sawyer laughed lightly.

"About the kiss, it was just this stupid dare. Shannon seemed up for it" Kali explained, as she and Boone walked along the beach.

"Yeah, I think she's quite proud actually. Her first kiss with a girl" Boone scoffed.

"Wow, I feel so honoured" Kali teased.

"I was a bit worried actually that maybe you've been interested in Shannon the whole time and not…" Boone trailed off, a small blush rising past his neck.

"Not?" Kali insisted, wondering if they were on the same page.

"I mean…apart from Sawyer…you probably hang around with me the most and I thought…well I mean-" Boone stuttered, as Kali cut him off.

"I think your cute, Boone" Kali told him.

"Yeah?" He questioned, with a lopsided smile.

"But I'm also not blind. And I know you have feelings for someone else. A blonde someone else" Kali explained, as Boone's eyes widened.

"I…I don't know what you mean" Boone shook his head.

"I think you do. Look, I like you, Boone. I do. But I don't think your head's in the right place right now" Kali went on.

"I guess…" Boone trailed off.

"But if you do sort your feelings out…you know where to find me," She told him, with a small smile.

"Okay," He nodded, returning the smile.

* * *

Kali couldn't help but roll her eyes when she was bringing her things to Sawyer's tent later that day and overheard Jack asking for the briefcase. Kali wondered what Kate did to drive all the men on the island so crazy.

"It's right there, chief. Take it" Sawyer shrugged, from where he was sitting on one of the aeroplane seats.

"…You're serious?" Jack questioned after Sawyer said nothing else.

"I ain't got the time for the mystery that is Kate right now" Sawyer replied, as Jack cautiously went to pick up the briefcase.

"What'd she offer you for the briefcase? A kiss?" Kali teased, approaching the pair.

"Funny. What are you doing with that bag?" Jack frowned, as Kali placed it on the ground.

"I'm moving in" Kali informed him, as Jack's frown deepened.

"What? Your half his age, Kali!" Jack exclaimed.

"Would you rather me stay in my own tent which consists of just a sleeping bag and a duffel bag for a pillow?" Kali asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jack looked guilty at her question, ashamed that he hadn't realised about her living conditions either. However, he still didn't like it.

"Sawyer, a word…in private" Jack announced, as Kali groaned.

"Guess I'll go and find your girlfriend" Kali mumbled.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Jack exclaimed, but Kali was already out of hearing range.

"So, what's up Doc?" Sawyer inquired.

"I know what you're doing," Jack told him.

"Oh really?" Sawyer huffed a laugh.

"You know that Kali is important to our survival on this island. Apart from me, she's the only person with any real medical knowledge. People would listen to her. You're trying to take control" Jack suggested.

"I'm flattered you think I'm such a master manipulator…but you're wrong. Kali asked to move in here, I never even brought it up" Sawyer informed him.

"You're not exactly turning her away" Jack pointed out.

"She's the only person I can stand to be around on this island. Which reminds me…get the hell off my property" Sawyer insisted, as he stood up from his seat, giving Jack a glare.

The last thing Sawyer wanted was to feel bad about enjoying Kali's company. He couldn't understand why the girl wanted to be around him so much, but it felt surprisingly good to have a friend. Even if that friend was half his age, and had an annoying ability to get under his skin.

* * *

"For someone who's about to get what she wants, you don't seem very happy" Kali announced, as she found Kate in the caves.

"What?" Kate asked, not understanding the statement.

"Jack's got the briefcase. He'll be bringing it here soon" Kali told her, sitting down next to her, as Kate nodded.

"Whatever is in it must be pretty important to you..." Kali trailed off.

"It's something from my past" Kate admitted.

"I get it. We can get stupidly attached to objects sometimes...I keep this damn thing with me at all times" Kali admitted, taking out the purse in her pocket, and bringing out the bullet.

"Someone gave you a bullet?" Kate questioned, confused.

"Nope. I used it to shoot someone" Kali replied.

"And you kept it?" Kate frowned.

"It makes me feel safe" Kali shrugged.

"My...object just makes me feel sad" Kate told her.

"Why?" Kali questioned.

"It belonged to the man I loved" Kate went on.

"I'm guessing he's not around anymore?" Kali suggested as she saw the tears welling in Kate's eyes.

"I got him killed" Kate cried.

"I'm sure that's not-" Kali started, but she cut him off.

"He got shot because he helped me...it was all my fault" Kate sobbed, as Kali pulled her into a hug.

Kali thought about what she could say to make Kate feel better, but everything she could come up with sounded superficial and stupid. In the end, she opted to just hold Kate, and let her get her emotions out.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all liked this chapter! Sorry, this chapter is a bit late but it's been my birthday week so I was very busy. Kali's playful nature is very fun to write, so we'll be seeing more of that coming up. It's going to be interesting seeing how Sawyer deals with his new roommate. Please leave a review:)

scripturient3201: Aw, I'm glad the chapter was able to make you smile:) Kali and Sawyer's relationship does seem to be flowing really well at the moment. Slow burn relationships are definitely the best. Thank you for the review!

kz4valentina: I couldn't miss the opportunity to show Kali and Sawyer having some fun at the waterfall, haha. Yeah, I definitely don't want to take away any character development away from other characters on the show where I can. Kate, unfortunately, seemed to lose interest in Sawyer after the cages, I felt. Thanks for the review:)

BlueBloodsSVUOrder: I'm back! Sorry about the wait, I hope you like this chapter:)

hodhod2011danger: Aw, thank you so much:) That's so great to hear you're enjoying Kali's character, it's a big relief as it's always hard to write OC's.


	20. Nightmares

Everything was going fine until the second night of Kali's new sleeping arrangement. It was nice having shelter and warmth now, but it meant that there was a new problem entirely. Her nightmares. There was a reason she put her sleeping bag further down on the beach, away from everyone else. She didn't get nightmares every night, but when she did, they were bad. The pair had been asleep for a while when Kali started to cry out in her sleep. Sawyer's eyes snapped open, expecting to find someone attacking the young girl, but instead, she was thrashing around on the floor, small whimpers coming from her mouth. Cautiously, he stood up and crouched down beside her, as she now began to talk in her sleep.

"No…no…stop it" She cried; her hands balled into fists.

"Hey, wake up" Sawyer exclaimed, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Please don't…don't" She said, shaking her head to the side.

"Kali, wake up. You're having a nightmare" Sawyer insisted, shaking her shoulder this time.

Kali still would not wake, and by now she was shouting. Sawyer knew that someone would be charging into the tent soon enough, expecting to see him attacking her. He shook her shoulder again when suddenly she sat upright and shot her leg out, hitting him in the stomach as he fell backwards. When he pushed himself back up, he saw Kali looking around the tent, clearly confused as to where she was.

"Hey…you alright?" Sawyer questioned, kneeling beside her.

"Sawyer?" She queried, the darkness of the tent making it hard to see clearly.

"Yeah, it's me" Sawyer answered, placing his hand back on her shoulder.

He could hear her breath a sigh of relief, as she ran her hand through her hair, still shook up by the nightmare.

"Guess that's why they tell you not to wake someone up when they're having a nightmare" Sawyer trailed off, holding his bruised stomach.

Kali huffed out a laugh, as she dropped her head and leaned against his shoulder. Sawyer wasn't sure what to do, he could wrap his arms around her, pull her into a hug but it seemed too intimate. Damnit, he was getting too close to her, he thought to himself.

The following morning, Kali was worried things might have been awkward between her and Sawyer. Seeing someone in the full throws of a nightmare would have been enough to send a lot of people kicking her out. She really thought she might have crossed a line when she leaned against him the night before, in her exhausted state it hadn't seemed like a big deal. However, she felt him tense up quickly and pushed herself away. She thought he would try to avoid her for the rest of the day but instead, he wasn't letting her have a moment to herself. She guessed it was probably after Hurley had accidentally thrown a ball her way, that he was playing with alongside Walt, and she acted like a bomb had been hurled her way. Still, it was irritating her. It seemed like he thought it was his duty to make sure she didn't lose it throughout the day, and she hated that. She didn't need anyone looking out for her. That's why she was happy when she spotted Jack and Charlie talking not far away from her, as she knew that Sawyer would not want to be anywhere near Jack. She grabbed a packet from Sawyer's stash while he was reading a book and made her way over to them.

"Hey, catch" Kali announced, as she threw the packet towards Jack

"What's this for?" Jack asked, seeing it was a packet of aspirin.

"Well I would give it to Charlie, but drug addicts don't tend to have good control with painkillers" Kali mumbled, as both men turned to look at her, surprise written all over their faces.

"Guys, c'mon. I'm a student nurse, I know a drug withdrawal when I see it" Kali stated.

"How long have you known?" Charlie inquired.

"Early on" Kali shrugged.

"You never acted like you knew" Charlie frowned.

"Why would I treat you differently just because you're a drug addict? What's your poison anyways?" Kali inquired.

"Heroin" Charlie answered, as she nodded, knowingly.

"You guys need some help?" Kali questioned, seeing that they were trying to build a fire.

"Yeah…where's your bodyguard?" Jack couldn't help but ask.

"Where's your girlfriend?" Kali retorted, with a smirk.

"I think she was with Sun" Charlie answered for him.

"What…how do you even know who's she's referring to?" Jack exclaimed.

"I may still be affected by the side effects of withdrawal, but I can see a whipped man when I see one" Charlie grinned, as Kali gave him a high five.

"Very funny. Good to see you two bonding over your bad British humour" Jack rolled his eyes.

"The British are the funniest people on earth, mate," Charlie told him, as Kali nodded along.

* * *

Kali was standing by the fire she had helped build when she heard a commotion coming from the jungle and was surprised to see a dazed-looking Boone rushing towards her. The man looked worse for wear, covered in bruises and dirt. He seemed to be searching the camp for someone, which Kali expected was Shannon.

"Boone? Hey, you okay?" Kali frowned, as she approached him.

"Kali…" Boone trailed off, stopping in his tracks.

"If you're looking for Shannon she's back at the-" Kali started, but never had the chance to finish her sentence as Boone brought their lips crashing together.

Kali was too shocked to respond for a moment, as Boone's hands touched her face and brought her closer to him. After a moment, she closed her eyes and started to kiss back, her hands trailing behind his neck. The kiss was a little awkward, as Boone really needed a shower and it took the pair a moment to angle their heads correctly, but it was…nice. The first normal thing that either of them had really done on the island. Kali was the first to pull away, a questioning look on her face.

"Uh…what was that about?" Kali inquired; her hands still wrapped around his shoulders.

"You said to come find you when I sorted my head out" Boone replied.

"That was only a few days ago, Boone" Kali stated.

"The island helped push things along," Boone told her, pulling her in for another kiss.

"Wait, what about Shannon? You can't have just gotten over her like that?" Kali pointed out, pulling away from the kiss after a few seconds.

"You're right, I haven't. I still lo…care about Shannon. But if you're being honest, I think there's someone on this island you'd rather be kissing" Boone exclaimed, as Kali opened her mouth to deny his claims.

"This doesn't have to be anything serious. We're just two people messing around. What's so wrong with that?" Boone argued.

"…You've got me there" Kali admitted a small smile on her face.

"So, let's just see how this goes" Boone shrugged, as he reached out to hold her hands.

"Okay, but first things first. You really need to have a wash" Kali teased, as Boone laughed in response, looking down at his dirty appearance.

"You could be onto something there" Boone chuckled.

Neither of them realised that this interaction had been watched by half the people still living on the beach, including Sawyer. Truthfully, he wasn't sure how to feel. He almost felt a strange sort of pride at seeing Kali act so comfortable around Boone when not so long ago she had flinched when he had tried to hug her. On the other hand, he couldn't help but feel jealous. Kali had been his friend since the moment they stepped foot on the island, and he didn't want that to change. He was brought out of his thoughts, as he watched the pair part ways, realising he must have missed a whole chunk of their conversation.

Meanwhile, Kali watched Boone walk back into the jungle, despite her own protests that it was dangerous to travel alone at night. When she turned around she saw Sawyer looking at her with an unreadable expression on his face, and felt herself blush, thinking back to what Boone had said about only minutes before about wanting to kiss other people. A moment later, she thought she heard someone call out her name and expected to see Boone rushing back over to her for another kiss. Instead, she was met with only darkness and silence. Shaking her head, she assumed she had imagined it when something caught her eye on the ground. A piece of paper was flying towards her, caught on the wind, as she bent down to pick it up. Her heart stopped when she saw what it was. A newspaper clipping with her face on the front page.

'Serial killer's sister moves to a new town – should she really be given a chance?'. Kali instantly scrunched up the paper, destroying the picture of her twelve-year-old face. She remembered the time the paper was published well. She thought she was finally going to get a new start. Then someone recognised her and put two and two together. But how could the paper have been on the island? Did someone know her secret?

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Dun, dun, dun, I wonder what that ending is going to mean? I hope you liked Boone/Kali's growing relationship, but don't worry this story will always firmly be Sawyer/Kali. Please leave a review:)

DrLexieSloan: Aw, thank you! I'm so glad that you like my characterisation of the Lost characters, as it's always a really difficult thing to get right for fanfiction writers. The roommate situation and Jack's overprotectiveness is certainly going to make some fun scenes! I think I definitely do portray Kate as quite arrogant in this story, maybe because there is always going to be a bit of competition between her and Kali?

kz4valentina: Thank you! It's great that you're enjoying Kali's interactions with everyone:) Boone's death was super depressing, only time will tell whether he lives or not in this story. The characters on Lost are some of the best ever created for sure, they're so interesting and layered. Don't worry, I won't forget you guys!

scripturient3201: Thanks for the review:) It was a really fun scene to write, haha.

Guest: Thank you so much, that means a lot! Sorry, this chapter took so long to update, I've got a very busy term at University at the moment, so my writing has had to take a backseat. I hope you continue reading this story:)


	21. Michael's Plan

"No luck?" Kali inquired, as she saw Boone and Locke returning from one of their many hunting trips.

"Nothing…were you waiting here for me?" Boone realised, seeing as she didn't live at the caves.

"Well, I figured this is the only I'd actually get to see you. I'm starting to think you like Locke more than me" Kali teased, coming to stand close to him.

"He's not really my type" Boone grinned, as he leaned forward and pressed his lips against Kali's.

"You know if you actually return with food ones of these days…I might reward you" Kali smirked, trailing her hands behind his neck.

"What do you have in mind?" Boone asked, as she winked and kissed him again.

"Boone!" A voice announced from behind them, as Kali pulled away.

"Can I have a moment alone with my brother?" Shannon inquired, as Kali went to leave, but Boone kept his hands firmly on her waist.

"Shannon, I don't have time for your drama right now-" Boone began, but she cut him off.

"Yeah, I can see your very busy" Shannon exclaimed, glaring daggers at Kali.

"Sorry Shannon, it just wouldn't have worked out between us. Besides, your brother's a better kisser" Kali joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Michael's building a raft" Shannon informed them, peaking Kali's attention.

"What?" She frowned.

"I was thinking I might help him, finally get the hell out of here. Why don't you help me?" Shannon suggested, bringing out her best 'puppy eyes'.

"…No thanks" Boone shook his head, after a moment, as he began to pull Kali away.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Kali had been able to track down Michael who was scouring through the debris of the plane to find anything they could use. Kali hadn't been able to think of anything apart from the raft since Shannon had told them. Someone knew who she was, and from experience, it wouldn't be long until everyone on the island knew. Not to mention even if they did get rescued, she would be arrested for being in Australia illegally and she was still on probation. She needed to get off the island as soon as possible.

"Have you got an axe?" Kali inquired, surprising Michael who hadn't heard her approach.

"Huh?" Michael frowned.

"An axe? To cut the bamboo for the raft?" Kali explained.

"…Wait, you want to help?" Michael asked.

"Hell yes. I'm getting off this island and this seems like the best bet" Kali told him.

"Well from my plans so far there will only be enough spots for a few people. But if you help then sure, you can come" Michael nodded.

"Great…I've got to ask though, why the sudden interest to leave?" Kali questioned, wanting to understand his motivations.

"This place, these people…they're a bad influence on my son. I'm doing this for him" Michael informed her.

"Walt seems to like it here" She stated.

"He's a kid. He likes being treated like a grownup" Michael retorted.

"Have you talked to him about this?" Kali queried.

"I'm his father, he'll do as I say" Michael insisted.

"Wow, you really are new to this whole parent thing, aren't you?" Kali mumbled.

"I'm sorry, do you have kids? I thought not" Michael snapped.

"I have seen a lot of bad parenting. Just explain to Walt why you're doing this, or you'll just push him away more" Kali explained.

"Walt's fine" Michael shook his head.

"Then where is he?" Kali asked, noticing the kid wasn't around.

"He's…he said he was going to get a drink" Michael stated.

"Go find your son. I'll get that axe" Kali suggested.

"Woah, Woah. You're nineteen, okay? I'm in charge here" Michael replied.

"Yes, sir. What are my orders?" Kali mocked, with an amused expression.

"…I'll go find Walt. You get the axe" Michael sighed in defeat, knowing she was right.

"Yes sir" Kali answered, giving him a mock salute.

* * *

"A raft?" Sawyer said, raising an eyebrow after Kali had told him what Michael was planning.

"Yep, he seems pretty serious about it too" Kali mumbled, as she sat down beside him on the sand.

"You think it'll work?" Sawyer inquired.

"It could do. And if it does it might be our only way off the island" Kali stated.

"This sudden need to leave got anything to do with that piece of paper you picked up the other day?" Sawyer guessed as Kali sighed hoping he hadn't seen it.

"It was a newspaper article…about me" Kali admitted, as Sawyer's eyes widened.

"How the hell did it get on the island?" Sawyer questioned.

"My thoughts exactly. Either someone on the plane knew about me or…" Kali trailed off.

"It's the people who took Claire. But how would they know that you'd turn up?" Sawyer frowned.

"They couldn't have. Which means-" Kali began, but he cut her off.

"They must have a way off the island" Sawyer realised.

"Are you two finishing each other's sentences now?" A voice announced as the pair turned to see Kate approaching them.

"Jealousy is unattractive in a woman of your age," Sawyer told her, glad that she didn't seem to hear what the pair were discussing.

"And rudeness is unattractive in a man of your age. What's up, Kate?" Kali exclaimed, nudging Sawyer with her elbow.

"Claire's diary has gone missing. Someone took it from her bag" Charlie informed them, coming up from behind Kate.

"Oh, I get it. Something goes missing and right away you figure it's got to me that took it" Sawyer replied.

"Do you have the diary or not?" Kate insisted.

"Do you mean this one?" Sawyer inquired, pulling the item out of his bag.

"Give it to me," Charlie told him, taking a few steps forward.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Maybe Missy Claire doesn't want you reading it" Sawyer pointed out, as he stood up.

"I wasn't gonna read it" Charlie retorted.

"You're not curious about what she wrote about you?" Sawyer asked as Charlie made a grab at it, but Sawyer kept it out of his reach.

"You bastard. He read it!" Charlie exclaimed as Kali stood up, knowing where this was going.

"Just give it to us" Kate rolled her eyes.

"Dear diary, I'm getting really freaked out by that has been pop star. I think he's stalking me" Sawyer began, as Charlie tried to grab it again.

"Sawyer…" Kali trailed off, seeing the angry look on Charlie's face.

"Diary, the little limey runt just won't give up-" Sawyer was cut off as Charlie punched him in the arm, right where he had been stabbed.

Sawyer let out a cry, cradling his now aching arm to his chest. Kali surged forward angrily and shoved Charlie in the chest, who almost fell back at the surprising force.

"What the hell, Charlie?" She cried, going to stand in between the two blonds.

"Oh, he started it" Charlie insisted, as Sawyer walked forward, but Kali grabbed his good arm.

"Look, you've got what you came for. Let's just leave it" Kali told them all, as Kate nodded in agreement.

"You need better friends, Kali" Charlie mumbled, as he grabbed the diary and began to stumble away, Kate following close behind.

"I don't need you fighting my battles, kid" Sawyer stated, knowing how much the nickname would annoy her.

"Then you need to stop making them…Great, now your arms bleeding" Kali sighed, noticing the red that was appearing on the bandage.

* * *

"I know you didn't read the diary" Kali announced, as she began to clean Sawyer's re-opened wound.

"I might have when you just weren't around" Sawyer shrugged.

"You didn't" Kali insisted, shaking her head.

He had thought about it, reading the inner thoughts of anyone was interesting, but he decided against it. He told himself he didn't really care what the pregnant woman had been thinking. His thoughts drifted back to the present as he felt Kali's gentle hands drying the wound. He couldn't remember anyone treating him with such care since before meeting her.

"You're going to pick a fight with the wrong guy one day…" Kali trailed off, annoyed.

"Then I suppose you should stop sticking up for me now" Sawyer retorted, as she began to bandage his arm.

"It's a thankless job but someone's got to do it" Kali mumbled, an amused tone to her voice.

"No, they don't" Sawyer said softly, as she began to stick the bandage down.

Kali's eyes snapped up to his blue ones at the sincere tone, as she felt her heart beat a little faster under his intense gaze. She knew she hadn't had many friends in her life, but were friends really supposed to look at you the way he looked at her?

"So, what do you think of the raft idea?" Kali questioned, standing up.

"I think you're right. It's our best chance at getting off the island" Sawyer told her.

"You'll help out then?" Kali clarified.

"Why not, there's not much else to do" Sawyer shrugged, as he stood too.

Kali smiled at his response, happy that he agreed to come as she wasn't sure she would have left without him. Sawyer came to a stop just before he exited their tent.

"Thanks, Kali" He nodded to her, before leaving, as the grin on her face grew at the use of her name.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! **I've put a poll up on my profile about what stories you guys want me to start/continue, so it would be great if you could vote on that!** Don't worry, this story isn't included as I'm definitely continuing it, but if you read any of my other stories, check it out. I think Kali will have some difficult decisions coming soon as she's in a sort of relationship with Boone but clearly, she has feelings for Sawyer. Please leave a review:)

DrLexieSloan: Thanks for the review:) Yeah, they had gone back to the caves at that point. Aw, I'm glad you like Kali! I like the name Bali the best for Boone/Kali, haha. I really liked your fic btw, keep up the good work!

kz4valentina: Glad I was able to surprise you, haha. Don't worry, this story is still very much Sawyer/Kali, but it's fun to put some other relationships in along the way. Aw, thank you so much:)

scripturient3201: Thank you for the review! Really glad you're enjoying this story, things certainly will be heating up more, haha.


	22. Claire's Return

Kali's eyes snapped open when she heard her name being shouted not too far away. She sat bolt upright, blinking a few times, wondering if she had just been dreaming. Then she heard the shouts getting louder and looked to where Sawyer was still sleeping, only a metre away.

"Hey, earth to Sawyer. Wake up, I think something's happening" She exclaimed, patting him on the shoulder.

"What?" He frowned, rubbing his eyes.

"Kali! We need you down at the caves, it's Claire! She…oh sorry dude…" Hurley trailed off, after stumbling into their tent.

Kali had picked up the habit of wearing one of Sawyer's large shirts to bed at night, seeing as her wardrobe mostly consisted of jeans and tank tops. She blushed a little, as Hurley looked in between the pair, taking in Sawyer's shirtless appearance and what she was wearing. It took her brain a couple of seconds to realise what Hurley had been saying.

"Wait, Claire's back?!" Kali questioned, standing up.

"Yeah, Locke and Boone found her out in the forest, she's seems in a bad way" Hurley explained, as Kali was putting her trainers on.

"C'mon! She could be hurt!" Kali insisted to Sawyer, who rolled his eyes and began to put his own shoes on.

"Uh…aren't you going to change?" Hurley asked.

"Oh yeah, sure. Sorry about Claire dying because I was too busy changing my clothes, guys. Couldn't be helped" Kali mocked, as she pushed the tent flap open.

"Catch!" Sawyer called to her, throwing one of his jackets her way.

"Let's go" She exclaimed, as they began to rush through the forest.

* * *

"Hey! Where is she?" Kali announced as she began to push through the crowd at the caves.

"Over here, she hasn't woken up yet-" Jack cut himself off when he saw Kali's state of undress.

"What? You've never seen a pair of legs before. Eyes on the prize, Doc" Kali insisted, as Sawyer chuckled in the background.

"Right, uh…she doesn't seem to have any injuries. But she seems dehydrated" Jack informed her, as Kali went to the other side of Claire.

"Claire? Claire, can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can hear me?" Kali questioned, taking Claire's hand in her own.

"Is she going to be okay?" Charlie panicked.

"I don't know, just give her some space, all right?" Jack insisted, making everyone back up a few paces.

Kali grabbed a bottle of water and drenched a nearby cloth and began to pat Claire's face gently. A few moments later the woman's eyes began to flicker open, as Kali smiled down at her. She hadn't been expecting Claire to suddenly let out an ear-splitting scream and crawl away from her.

"Woah, woah. It's okay. It's us" Kali told her, as the girl still seemed terrified.

"Hey, you're safe" Charlie insisted, as he crouched down beside Claire.

"Who are you? Who are you, people?!" Claire cried, her eyes darting around the crowd.

"Okay, everyone needs to back off. That's it, c'mon guys, you're freaking her out" Kali informed the crowd, as she began ushering them away.

"What do you mean, Claire? It's me! It's Charlie" He stated, reaching out to her.

"Don't touch me!" She screamed, crawling away further.

"It's okay! We're not going to hurt you; we just want to talk. Is that alright?" Kali inquired, as Claire nodded.

"Do you recognise any of us?" Kali asked as Claire shook her head violently.

"What the hell?" Charlie mumbled, quietly.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Jack queried.

"I…I was on a plane. Sydney to LA" Claire exclaimed.

"We were all on that plane. It crashed here. That was almost a month ago" Jack admitted, which seemed to scare Claire even more.

"No…I'm…I'm due…" Claire stuttered, looking down to her stomach.

"Your baby's fine. He's kicking, everything's normal" Jack tried to reassure her.

"But…I can't give birth here…oh God, this can't be happening" Claire panicked.

"Hey, don't think about that, okay? You're fine, and so is your baby. Hopefully, someone will come to get us before your due but if not…you've got a doctor and nurse here who are fully capable of helping you give birth. Right, Doc?" Kali explained as Jack nodded, encouragingly.

"Well, a doctor and a student nurse…if you want to get technical" Locke announced, from where he had been watching the encounter a few metres away.

"Not helping, mate" Kali rolled her eyes.

"You promise my baby will be alright?" Claire pleaded.

"I will do everything I can to keep your baby safe. I promise you that" Kali said, as Claire suddenly leaned forward and pulled her into a hug, as she sobbed.

Kate could see Sawyer had been watching the pair, a soft look in his eyes that she would have never expected from the older man. He seemed almost proud to see Kali comforting Claire, as Kate began to realise just how much Sawyer may have cared about Kali.

* * *

"If this is a new fashion trend…I'm certainly enjoying it" Boone grinned, as he approached Kali.

"Oh my God, don't. If I get one more dodgy look because of what I'm wearing, I'm going to start throwing punches" Kali explained, making Boone laugh.

"You know, your accent gets a lot stronger when you're angry. It's cute" Boone smiled, as Kali blushed lightly.

"Flirt" Kali mumbled, as she leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

"Whose shirt is that, anyways?" Boone frowned.

"Sawyer's" She shrugged, absentmindedly.

"Huh" Boone mumbled.

"What?" Kali asked.

"It's just usually girls only wear their boyfriends' clothes" Boone pointed out.

"Well, I don't have much here, and his shirts are comfy" Kali answered, knowing how weak her explanation sounded.

"I could give you one of my shirts" Boone suggested, as Kali laughed.

"Wait…are you jealous?" Kali realised.

"No" Boone shook his head, crossing his arms.

"You totally are. Is this you marking your territory?" Kali teased.

"Maybe I just don't like my girlfriend wearing other guys clothes" Boone replied, as Kali's smile faded.

"Girlfriend?" She frowned.

"I mean…it just came out like that…" Boone stuttered, rubbing his neck.

"This still isn't anything serious, right? We're just having fun?" Kali insisted.

"Oh…yeah, of course. More friends with benefits than anything else" Boone shrugged.

"Hey, I'm going back to the beach. You coming?" Sawyer called over to her, as she nodded.

"I'll see you later" She smiled at Boone, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek before following Sawyer.

* * *

News quickly spread around the camp that Charlie and Jin had been attacked by the mysterious Ethan and given the warning that if they didn't return Claire to him, he would kill someone every day. Understandably, this put everyone on edge. Kali knew they needed weapons if they were going to be able to stop this guy, but they had nothing. Only an empty gun. However, her mind went back to Kate and her briefcase, as she realised that there was obviously something important in there.

"Was there anything in your briefcase other that object from your past?" Kali inquired, approaching Kate.

"Why'd you think that?" Kate retorted.

"It was the US Marshall's. If he had any weapons, they'd be in there" Kali theorised.

"…There are five guns. About 100 bullets I think" Kate admitted.

"Great, let's grab them and defend ourselves" Kali stated.

"Jack has the key," Kate told her.

"Okay…maybe not then" Kali sighed.

"Locke thinks we should set up a perimeter and defend ourselves that way. He thinks it would be too dangerous going after Ethan" Kate explained.

"And what are the people guarding this perimeter going to do when he turns up? Throw mangos at him?" Kali pointed out.

"Jack won't give the guns to untrained people," Kate told her.

"He might if you talk to him. C'mon Kate, the guy clearly likes you" Kali went on.

"Not as much as you seem to think. Besides, your one to talk. What is going on with you and Sawyer, anyway?" Kate responded.

"Nothing" Kali shrugged, with a frown.

"So, you weren't wearing his shirt this morning?" Kate teased, with a small smile.

"It gets hot at night and…we're getting off the subject here. Okay, how about you get me the bullets. Sawyer has a gun. Problem solved" Kali stated.

"So, Sawyer goes storming off into the forest armed? I don't think so" Kate scoffed.

"Actually, I was going to take the gun from him and kill Ethan myself" Kali admitted.

"He almost killed Jack when he went up against him…you really think you'd have a better chance?" Kate asked.

"He kidnapped Claire, hung Charlie, and now he's threatening the rest of us. He needs to go down, no matter what" Kali explained.

"Jesus, so this is like some suicidal mission to you? I don't get you sometimes, Kali. I mean my past is pretty dark but the things you say…god, what happened to you?" Kate questioned.

"You don't want to know, Kate. You really don't" Kali grimaced.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! The whole shirt wearing thing was too cute to resist, and I love a good fanfic trope, haha. Please leave a review:)

kz4valentina: Yes, I plan for Kali and Sawyer to end up on the raft together, as they've really picked up this team dynamic. Lost has so many different potential plots that I definitely plan to do some things a little differently. I think there will be more Kali trying to get Michael seeing sense scenes, as they will be interacting more now. Thanks so much for the review:)

DrLexieSloan: Thanks for the review! I'm really glad you're still enjoying this story:) I agree that it's a bit out of character for Boone to be paying attention to anyone but Shannon, but I think he's trying to force it. He wants to get over Shannon and he likes Kali, but as you can see in this chapter, Kali might not be able to give him what he wants. Keep up the good work with your fic, it seems really good!

hodhod2011danger: Aw, thanks for this review:) I love that my pairings are making it hard for you to choose, haha. Sawyer and Kali are definitely the OTP though, as you can probably see in his chapter. But Boone is still really cute.


	23. Dealing with Ethan

Locke had set up a parameter around the beach to stop Ethan from being able to get to anyone in the group, but it didn't matter. Somehow the man had come in from the water, which Kali realised must have meant he had some sort of boat. And most likely help. Boone had taken the news hard, feeling like they could have done more to stop one of their group from being killed.

"It's not your fault," Kali told him, placing her hand on his shoulder, as she approached.

"We said we'd protect the camp. And now Scott's dead" Boone replied.

"There's nothing more you could have done" Kali insisted.

"I just hate feeling this way…like I can't protect anyone" Boone explained.

"I know, and it's great that you care so much but…you're only one man, Boone. You can't save everyone" Kali went on.

"You're right, as always" Boone smiled at her.

"It's what I'm here for" Kali grinned, but she could tell Boone was still feeling guilty.

"You'll catch this guy, I know you will" Kali insisted, as Boone pressed a chaste kiss to her lips.

Kali was distracted by a flash of blue behind Boone and saw Sawyer was wearing 'that' shirt, that emphasised the tan of his skin and the blue of his eyes. She could see Kate even did a double take when she saw him. Boone turned to see what Kali was looking at and couldn't help but feel a sliver of jealousy.

"Let me know if you need any more volunteers for the parameter" Kali informed him, as she began walking towards Sawyer.

"Guess old Steve drew the short straw" Sawyer announced, as Hurley cringed.

"Dude, that was Scott," Hurley told him, as Sawyer inwardly groaned.

"Wow, we really need to work on your people skills" Kali pointed out.

"I'm a joy to be around" Sawyer scoffed, making Kali laugh.

Kali didn't see how Boone clenched his fist as he watched this interaction, and if Sawyer did, he wasn't going to mention it.

* * *

The pair were surprised when Kate and Jack approached them later with an offer. They were planning to trap Ethan, and they had a gun spare, so their first candidate was the burly Southerner.

"Help? Moi?" Sawyer exclaimed, with a teasing tone.

"You know how to handle a gun, or not?" Jack asked, obviously not in the mood.

"Well, I know at least one polar bear that seems to think so-" Sawyer started but was cut off by Kali.

"Actually, I'm the one who shot the polar bear, remember?" Kali smirked.

"I'd say it was a group effort…Where'd you get the hardware, Hoss?" Sawyer questioned, as Jack handed him a gun.

Kali's eyes snapped to Kate's for a moment, who raised an eyebrow at her, clearly wanting to avoid the subject.

"I want to come" Kali announced.

"No way. It's too dangerous. And besides, we don't have enough guns" Jack stated.

"How much ammo you got?" Sawyer inquired.

"100 rounds give or take" Jack answered.

"All 9's, right? 9 millimetres - the guns?" Sawyer clarified when Jack lot at him blankly.

"Yeah, why?" Jack frowned.

"Because, if blue eyes wants to come...Lifted this off the Marshal back in the old days. Remember him, don't you? Surly guy, kind of square of jaw, carries a Sig 9" Sawyer explained, grabbing the gun he had been keeping in their tent.

"Yeah, I remember you shot him. And missed" Jack pointed out.

"Yeah, well, bygones. And hell, 6 guns are better than 5" Sawyer retorted, but Jack still didn't look convinced.

"C'mon Jack, I can handle myself" Kali insisted, raising an eyebrow at Kate.

The older woman seemed to mull this over for a few seconds, as she knew she owed Kali.

"She's not wrong, Jack. Kali's not a kid" Kate agreed, as Kali raised her hand out in an 'I told you so' gesture.

"Look, I'll keep an eye on her, okay? I've got her back" Sawyer added, as Jack nodded.

"I'll go get the rounds" Jack mumbled, as he began to walk away, with Kate following him close behind.

"Did you mean that? That you've got my back?" Kali queried, once they were out of hearing distance.

"Yeah, and you've got mine, right?" Sawyer suggested.

"Always" Kali smiled, as he placed the gun in her hands.

* * *

Kali watched nervously from her hiding place in the bushes, as Claire walked around aimlessly in the pouring rain. The poor girl looked terrified as she clutched at her baby bump. Kali turned to her side to see Sawyer crouching behind a tree on the other side of the clearing, as he nodded at her. Something seemed to be shifting in their relationship recently, but Kali's only fear was that it was more on her side than his. Shaking those thoughts from her head, she picked up on a twig snapping from behind her. With wide eyes, she saw Ethan sneaking towards Claire, as Kali tried to hide. She couldn't let him realise it was a trap or it would have all been for nothing. The moment Claire spotted him, she screamed and set off in the other direction, quickly followed by Ethan. Unbeknownst to Ethan, Claire was leading him right to where Jack was hiding, who suddenly jumped out from behind a tree and tackled Ethan to the ground. Kali set off running behind them, ignoring the shouts of protests from Sawyer. She wasn't about to let Ethan hurt anyone else from their group. Kali came to a halt as she saw them wrestling on the ground, both having their hands clawing at the other's neck. Without a second thought, she ran up behind the pair and pulled her arm around Ethan's neck, creating a painful headlock. Ethan instantly let go off Jack and began to try to pry Kali's arm away from his neck, but Kali simply added more pressure. She then used her other hand to bring her gun slamming down on the back of Ethan's head, who fell to the ground, barely conscious.

"Jesus, Kali! I had it under control!" Jack exclaimed, knowing that if she had made one wrong move she could have been killed.

"Oh sorry, next time I'll let him strangle you to death," Kali said, sarcastically, as the others began to appear from behind her.

Ethan went to stand up, but Jack quickly pushed him back to the ground. He then began to punch Ethan in the face, anger in his eyes that was rare to see.

"Claire! Are you alright?" Locke questioned, as he rushed over to the blonde.

"Hey, what was all that about? You could have got yourself killed!" Sawyer exclaimed as he came to stand beside Kali.

"Like Kate said before…I can handle myself" Kali insisted, as she saw Kate run up and hug Claire, who was still shaking.

"Jack, that's enough" Sayid stated, as he tried to pull Jack away from Ethan.

This seemed to pull Jack from his daze, as he pushed himself upright, knowing Sayid was right. They needed Ethan alive.

"Now maybe somebody can tell me who or what this son of a bitch is?" Sawyer asked as Ethan pushed himself upright.

"Ah, ah, ah. Jungle boy, not even for one second" Sawyer announced, a dangerous tone in his voice, as he and Kali raised their guns at Ethan.

"This shouldn't have happened…" Ethan trailed off, barely audible.

"What, not used to being beaten by a girl?" Kali questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"You're not even supposed to be here" Ethan stated, as Kali frowned.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kali insisted.

"The island didn't want you, Kalista. But now it's got you…it can't let you go" Ethan went on, as the others shared looks.

"Jesus, you're insane" Kali stated, unnerved by the fact that Ethan knew her real name.

"And you're naïve. This was never about you. It was about your brother. And he-" Ethan was cut off as there were six loud gunshots.

Everyone whipped around to look at Charlie, who's gun was still raised, a menacing look on his face. Charlie had killed Ethan, without any remorse.

"Charlie!" Jack exclaimed as he stormed over to him, as Charlie lowered the gun.

They all looked at Charlie, who may have just lost them any chance at finding out what the hell was happening on the island. Everyone except Sawyer, who's eyes had stayed firmly planted on Kali throughout the shootout.

* * *

Later that day, at the caves everyone was drying off, and trying to piece together what had happened. Sawyer ushered Kali over to one of the small tunnels that led deeper into the caves, as she reluctantly followed.

"You shot him" Sawyer stated, as Kali sighed.

"There were six gunshots. I know there was…but when I looked at Ethan's body, there were only five bullet holes" Sawyer went on.

"That's just the thing, I did shoot him…but my round was filled with blanks" Kali admitted, taking the gun out.

Sawyer grabbed the weapon from her hand and opened the chamber to find she was right.

"I filled that round myself before we went into the jungle. They weren't blanks. Someone put them in there" Kali explained.

"When?" Sawyer frowned.

"I don't know…when we were discussing our plans maybe? There were a few minutes when I didn't have the gun on me" Kali told him.

"But why would someone do that?" Sawyer queried.

"They wanted me to go out into the jungle without a weapon. That's the only answer" Kali pointed out.

"They wanted you to get hurt…killed even" Sawyer realised, a dark tone to his voice.

"Someone in this camp wants me dead" Kali nodded, with a scared expression.

"Well if they want to get to you, they're going to have to get through me first," Sawyer told her, taking her hand in his own and squeezing it.

Neither of them noticed that Boone had seen them sneaking away and was looking at their now linked hands, with an angry expression.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Sorry, it's taken so long to update, I've been super busy at work recently. Also, I don't have much knowledge about guns so I apologise if there are only certain guns that can fire blanks or something like that. You might have to use your imaginations a bit, haha. Things are going to start to get very interesting from here on out. Please leave a review:)

DrLexieSloan: Aw, thank you! I always read fics really fast, so I can understand that haha. I'm glad you enjoy Kali's fiesty side, as there's a lot of that in this chapter:)

scripturient2301: Thank you:) I'm glad you're liking the different relationships, they're a lot of fun writing!

kz4valentina: Thank you! I love a cheesy fanfic trope, haha. I can never get enough of Sawyer either, don't worry:)


	24. I Never

Sawyer's eyes snapped open suddenly, as he tried to get his breathing under control. The next thing he knew someone was touching his shoulder. He looked up to see Kali looking down at him, concern clear on her face. Sawyer's eyes flickered around the tent, as his body shook lightly, his mind taking longer to catch up than the rest of the body.

"Hey, it's okay. It's just me. There's no one else here" Kali told him, as he pushed himself up into a sitting position.

Sawyer ran a hand over his face, trying to regain control of his breathing. He hadn't had a nightmare like that in years. He wondered what had brought it on.

"Are you alright?" Kali queried, softly.

"Y-yeah…I'm fine" He nodded; his voice still shaky.

Kali went to pull her hand away from his shoulder, knowing that she had to be careful with how far to push Sawyer. However, he grabbed her hand at the last moment, keeping it in place against his skin. Kali knew whatever he was dreaming must have been bad if he was actively seeking out comfort even if it was from her. She wasn't sure how long they stayed sitting like that when suddenly they both heard a snuffling sound coming from outside the tent. There was a loud commotion as something rushed into the tent, knocking over a few boxes in the process. It was impossible to see what it was. Sawyer pushed himself onto his feet, going to stand in front of Kali who was still on her knees. He shined a light towards the creature, which seemed to spook it as it quickly turned and began running in the opposite direction, taking their tarp with it. Sawyer let out an angry yell as he began running after the creature in an almost comical fashion.

"Sawyer!" Kali called after him, worried he would get himself lost.

Luckily, he hadn't got very far before he lost the animal, as Kali found him not far from the camp. His head was darting around as if he was hearing something.

"Sawyer?" Kali inquired, approaching him, but he still didn't seem to hear her.

"James?" Kali insisted, as his eyes snapped up to meet her gaze.

"Did…did you hear that?" Sawyer questioned.

"Hear what?" Kali frowned.

"…Nothing. It was nothing. Let's get back to camp" Sawyer shook his head, already walking in the other direction.

* * *

"You look like crap" Kali informed Charlie, as she watched him opening coconuts.

"Wow, thanks" Charlie rolled his eyes, slamming a coconut onto a rock.

"And it looks like you've got some serious anger management issues" Kali went on, as Charlie glared at her.

"Any other complaints?" Charlie scoffed.

"You're a mess and you could hurt someone in this state" Kali explained.

"Last time I checked you were a student nurse, not a therapist" Charlie pointed out.

"The two aren't so different" Kali mumbled, coming to sit down beside him.

"How'd you sleep?" She inquired, a moment later.

"Like a baby" Charlie shrugged.

"Oh, really? You just murdered a guy and you're fine about it?" Kali questioned.

"You killed the Marshall and that didn't seem to affect you" Charlie retorted.

"I put him out of his misery, you shot Ethan five times in the chest" Kali insisted.

"He deserved it" Charlie stated.

"That doesn't mean you're not going to stop seeing his face whenever you close your eyes" Kali suggested.

"I'd do it again in a heartbeat" Charlie mumbled.

"Then you're a killer" Kali pointed out, as Charlie flinched at the statement.

"It doesn't mean you're a bad person, Charlie. No one's all good and all bad. We're just a mix of…grey. Don't let this harden your heart, that's all I'm saying" Kali explained, as she stood up.

"Thanks…I think I needed to hear that" Charlie nodded to her, as she gave him a small smile.

She turned around and began walking away, spotting Boone not far away who seemed to have been watching their interaction.

"Hey!" She called over to him, jogging to meet him, with a smile on her face.

"Where's Sawyer?" Boone inquired, an almost accusatory tone to his voice.

"Uh, he's looking for our tarp. We think a-" Kali began, but Boone's scoff cut her off.

"We" Boone shook his head, annoyed at the use of her words.

"You got something to say, Boone?" Kali questioned.

"I just…" Boone trailed off when he saw she was looking at something over his shoulder.

He gritted his teeth when he saw it was Sawyer returning to the camp emptyhanded, covered in mud. He could tell Kali wanted to run over there, just like she always did.

"Looks like your boyfriend's back" Boone stated, bitterly, as he began to walk away.

"Boone…" Kali sighed, wanting to go after him, but she didn't want to deal with his anger.

Running a hand through her long hair, she turned the other way and jogged over to Sawyer. Boone watched her go, a sad expression on his face.

"Always second best" He mumbled, a stormy expression on his face.

* * *

Kali had been following Sawyer for the past fifteen minutes after he had stormed off into the forest with a gun. She theorised that should have been long enough for him to cool down. He was currently crouched down, frowning at a footprint as he seemed to realise, he had been going the wrong way. Kali silently crouched down beside him, feeling smug that he still hadn't noticed her presence.

"You really need a shower" Kali whispered, laughing as he practically jumped out of his skin.

"Jesus, woman! Don't do that" Sawyer grumbled, as Kali tried to get control of her giggles.

"You've been following Boone for an hour" Kali stated, standing up.

"How'd you know?" Sawyer asked.

"That's his footprint" Kali replied, as Sawyer sighed.

"What, you a tracker now too?" Sawyer questioned.

"Definitely not. But I reckon I'll be better at it than you" Kali pointed out.

"So, you're suggesting we both get lost in the forest?" Sawyer exclaimed as Kali shrugged.

"Everything's better with two…and I don't really want to be on my own right now" Kali explained.

"We haven't really talked about what happened yesterday" Sawyer announced, following her lead.

"What's there to talk about? Someone tried to get me killed…sounds like a normal day to me" Kali mumbled.

"What if they try it again?" Sawyer insisted.

"Well they don't seem to be trying to directly kill me yet, so as long as I'm not on my own I should be pretty safe" Kali theorised.

"Well gosh, I feel so reassured now," Sawyer said, sarcastically.

"You better be careful, Sawyer. It's starting to sound like you care" Kali grinned at him.

* * *

It got dark quicker than either of them had been expecting and soon they had to make camp. Luckily it wasn't a cold night, so the fire was enough to keep the pair warm. Kali watched as Sawyer pulled out a mini bottle of alcohol out of his bag with a smug smirk.

"You still have those bottles?" Kali gaped.

"Finders keepers" Sawyer replied, taking a swig.

"Were you planning to get drunk alone in the middle of the jungle?" Kali questioned.

"Maybe I thought you were going to follow me" Sawyer smirked, handing her the bottle.

"You're a bad influence, Mr Ford" Kali giggled, as he took another bottle out of the bag for himself.

"Remind you of when we first met?" Sawyer suggested as Kali smiled.

"You wanna' play a game?" Sawyer queried, a mischievous look in his eyes.

"What kind of game?" Kali asked.

"I never" Sawyer announced, as Kali groaned.

"Not unless you want me to get blackout drunk. I'm so shit at that game" Kali admitted.

"Well, now we're definitely going to play it" Sawyer laughed.

"Alright, I'll go first-" Kali began, but Sawyer cut her off.

"Uh, uh, blue eyes. My game my rules. I'm going first" Sawyer insisted, as she rolled her eyes.

"I've never…been to college" Sawyer stated, watching as Kali took a drink.

"This is getting off to a great start. Okay, I never…got in a bar fight?" Kali suggested as Sawyer took a swig of his drink.

"I never kissed a girl…off this island?" Sawyer questioned, as he took a long drink.

"Why would you say that when you obviously have?" Kali pointed out.

"Because I wanted to know if you had more" Sawyer replied mischievously, as he watched Kali take a drink.

"I knew it" Sawyer grinned.

"Pervert" Kali shook her head, fondly.

"Never have I ever…worn pink?" She questioned, taking a swig from the bottle.

"It was the 80s" Sawyer shrugged, as he drank too, making Kali giggle.

Sawyer seemed to think about his next question seriously for a few seconds, making Kali wonder what he was thinking.

"I've never been in love" Sawyer confessed, as Kali raised an eyebrow.

"What, never?" She exclaimed.

"I ain't drinking, am I?" Sawyer pointed out, noticing that she too didn't drink.

"I've never had a one-night stand" Kali stated, as Sawyer rolled his eyes.

"I got to drink for each one?" Sawyer inquired, coughing as he downed most of the drink.

"Your turn" Kali shook her head.

"I never slept with a man" Sawyer announced, frowning when he saw Kali didn't drink.

"Alright, I never slept with a woman" Sawyer went on, his eyes widening when Kali still didn't move.

"You better drink most of that bottle," Kali told him, as Sawyer quickly finished it, more interested in her response.

"Hold up a minute…you've never slept with anyone? Ever?" Sawyer insisted.

"Kind of hard when everyone just knows you as the serial killer's sister" Kali mumbled, twirling her drink around her fingers.

"Well yeah but your…you" Sawyer exclaimed, as Kali raised an eyebrow at him.

"I mean, the guys you've been around must be blind right? Because…I mean…" Sawyer trailed off, suddenly realising just how much he had drunk.

"What?" Kali frowned, wanting to know what he was getting at.

"Well shit, blue eyes. We get back to camp I'll set up some candles and a secluded part of the beach for you and bonehead" Sawyer suggested, as Kali laughed.

"Are you trying to pimp me out now?" She giggled.

"I guess that depends if you like him or not" Sawyer shrugged.

"It's not going to happen" She retorted.

"Why not?" Sawyer inquired.

"I should have never even kissed him…Imagine how he'd feel if we slept together and he found out who I was" Kali explained.

"He doesn't have to find out" Sawyer insisted.

"And when we get off this island? He goes home and forever gets branded as that guy who banged Ken Dixon's sister" Kali scoffed.

"I reckon it'd be worth it" Sawyer shrugged.

"What, are you volunteering?" Kali joked as a rare tension rose up around them.

Sawyer's eyes snapped up to meet hers, as she saw something in his eyes she hadn't seen before. Sawyer's gaze dropped to her lips for a moment, before quickly going down to find the empty bottle of vodka in her hands.

"You finished your bottle" He stated.

"So, did you" She replied, gesturing to the whiskey bottle by his leg.

"We should probably sleep if we want to have any hope of finding that boar tomorrow" Sawyer announced, as Kali nodded.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Looks like we're starting to get some tension between Kali and Sawyer, and I don't mean the angsty type, haha. Poor Boone, first Shannon and now Kali. Please leave a review:)

DrLexieSloan: I'm really glad you're still finding this story exciting! Let's hope they can figure out who has it out for Kali before it's too late. Thanks for the review:)

farrahjohnson21: Thanks for this review, it made me laugh, haha! I'm glad you like Kali so much:)

kz4valentina: We've definitely got some exciting chapters coming as we enter the second half of this season. Whether Sawyer likes it or not he's starting to care about Kali. Boone is feeling very conflicted and angry right now that's for sure, he never seems to get the girl:( Thanks for the review!

scripturient3201: Yeah, it was a stupid move, but Ethan did try to kill him not long before, so I get it. Poor Boone, I doubt he'll be happy when he hears these two have gone off into the jungle on their own. Thank you for reviewing, I'm so glad you still like this story:)


	25. Sawyer's Boar

Kali woke with a start, hearing a shout from close by. She pushed herself up to find Sawyer was thrashing around on the floor, almost whimpering. He was having a nightmare again, and it was a bad one. She stood up too quickly, the effects of the alcohol still in her system and rushed over to him.

"Sawyer?" She exclaimed, her hand shaking his chest.

His face was contorted in fear, and his shirt practically soaked through with sweat. It was strange to see him in such a vulnerable position.

"C'mon, wake up," Kali told him, placing her hand against his cheek.

"James!" She insisted, with both her hands touching his face.

Sawyer's eyes suddenly snapped open, as he pushed himself up, his eyes darting around the forest.

"Hey, it's okay. You're not there. You're with me" Kali stated, as she gently turned him to face her.

"Kali…" He trailed off, his wide eyes slowly recognising her and where he was.

"Yeah, it's me. You're safe now" She said, her hands still touching his bearded face.

She was surprised when he's head fell forward, as he leaned against her chest. Kali would have suspected he had passed out if his hand hadn't moved to grip onto her thigh, as if he needed some tether to reality. It was a slightly awkward position, not too mention far more intimate than the pair were used to, but Kali could tell Sawyer needed it. He had purposely moved his position so the side of his face was above where her heart was. Due to their proximity, Kali's heart was beating abnormally fast and she was pretty sure he must have been able to feel it. Still, she kept her hands where they were, now tangled in his dirty blond hair. She rubbed small circles with her thumbs against the base of his neck and could feel how the tension there slowly started to disappear.

"I saw it" He mumbled, so quietly she could barely hear.

"Saw what?" She frowned.

"When my dad killed my mother. I was there. Under the bed. I…I heard all of it" Sawyer admitted, as his grip on her thigh lessened.

"Jesus…that's what you keep seeing?" She guessed as he shook his head against her.

"I'm just like him" Sawyer whispered.

"Don't say that. You're nothing like him. You're a good person. You might not see it, but I do" Kali insisted.

"You don't know what I've done" Sawyer went on.

"It won't matter. It can't be worse than what I've done" She suggested.

"You were just a kid. I…I killed someone, Kali. Someone who didn't deserve it" Sawyer admitted.

"I know" She sighed.

"You know?" He frowned.

"You carry a hell of a lot of guilt around with you, and there's only one reason someone would feel that way. Trust me, I know" Kali explained, as Sawyer began drawing circles against her thigh.

"I got tricked. I thought this guy was Sawyer, the man who ruined my life. And I saw red. I killed him. I thought I had finally gotten my revenge" Sawyer exclaimed.

"But it wasn't him?" She guessed.

"All the guy had done was get behind on his last payment. He was so scared and then…then he…" Sawyer trailed off, scrunching his eyes shut.

"Then what?" Kali questioned.

"He said it'll come back around. I keep hearing it, Kali. Out in the forest earlier I swear I heard it" Sawyer told her, hating her weak he sounded.

"You think karma's going to get you?" She suggested.

"I guess…I don't know" Sawyer mumbled.

"It won't" She insisted.

"And why's that?" He scoffed.

"Because karma can kiss my ass. We've both been through way too much for that shit" Kali insisted, as Sawyer let out a low chuckle.

"What do you think has brought all this up for you?" She asked, curiously.

Sawyer's mind instantly went to the day before when someone had tried to get Kali killed. He thought he was going to lose the one good thing in his life. It'll come back around.

"…I don't know. This island just has a way of getting to you" Sawyer shrugged, not wanting to reveal the real reason.

"That it does" Kali sighed.

"Morning" A voice suddenly announced, as the pair sprang back from each other.

Kali looked up with a blush to see Locke standing a few feet away, an almost smug look on his face at catching them in such an intimate embrace.

"Jesus, do you just teleport around this island? Where did you even come from?" Kali grumbled as Sawyer pushed himself to his feet.

"I've been looking for salvage from the plane. Picked up your path a mile back and thought I'd say howdy. Was I interrupting something?" Locke questioned.

"No," The pair said at the same time, giving each other a look when they did so.

"Right…anyone for coffee?" Locke smiled, setting his pack down.

* * *

"Son of a bitch" Sawyer grimaced, as he surveyed there destroyed campsite.

The pair had to embarrassingly admit that they hadn't even realised the boar had somehow trampled where they had slept for the night. Strangely enough, the hog had only destroyed Sawyer's things, even going as far to piss on his clothes. Kali couldn't help but find the latter hilarious, much to Sawyer's annoyance.

"Sawyer thinks the boar has a personal vendetta against him" Kali informed Locke.

"That's three times it's attacked me" Sawyer insisted, trying to pack up anything that he could salvage from his things.

"Maybe it's got your sent. Doesn't like your cologne" Kali suggested.

"I don't wear cologne" Sawyer retorted.

"Yes, you do" Kali scoffed.

"Yeah well…the things got it in for me" Sawyer insisted, ignoring the fact that he had splashed himself with cologne before leaving the camp because he suspected Kali would be following him.

"It's a boar, Sawyer" Kali shook her head, as he sat down with a huff.

Locke then began a speech about his dead sister, and how his mother had believed a dog had been reincarnated as her to let his mother off the hook. It was a tale that proved too complicated to comprehend for Kali, who was beginning to feel her hangover. However, she could see it had touched a nerve with Sawyer.

"You know you two are pretty far from the camp, it's dangerous to get lost in these parts" Locke explained.

"Fancy showing us the way back?" Kali asked.

"Sure" Locke nodded, as they stood up.

"You can go back, but I'm staying," Sawyer told her.

"Sawyer, c'mon. We searched all night. Let's just go back to the camp" Kali insisted.

"No" Sawyer shook his head, grabbing his bag.

"Ugh, fine. I'll go with you-" Kali groaned, but Sawyer cut her off.

"No. You should go back with Locke. Like he said, it's dangerous out here" Sawyer pointed out, already walking in the other direction.

"You don't even know where you're going!" Kali called out to him.

"I'll see you back at camp" Sawyer replied, not looking around.

With a roll of her eyes, Kali grabbed her backpack, about to start rushing after him, when Locke pulled her back.

"Are you sure you should go with him? You'll just get lost too" Locke stated.

"I can't leave him out here on his own" Kali frowned, taking her arm out of his grip.

"Boone's waiting for you back at camp. What should I tell him?" Locke inquired.

"Uh, maybe you shouldn't mention you saw us" Kali suggested, sheepishly.

"You don't think he'll be happy to hear you've stayed out in the jungle all night getting drunk with another man?" Locke guessed as Kali scoffed.

"Boone and I aren't dating and besides, nothing happened," Kali told him.

"He likes you, Kali. A lot. I'm just trying to look at for my friend" Locke explained.

"So am I. That's why I'm going after Sawyer" Kali retorted, walking away from Locke.

* * *

It took Kali much longer than she had expected to catch up with Sawyer, who seemed to have gotten himself completely lost from the way his footprints were zigzagging. When she finally found him in a clearing, he had his gun raised in the air, as she saw he had managed to find his prey. She stayed still as she watched him weigh up his choices. His anger slowly seemed to dissipate. After a tense few seconds, he lowered his weapon, letting the boar go free. Sawyer seemed to know she had been there the whole time and turned towards her with a raised eyebrow.

"It's just a boar. Let's go back to camp" Sawyer announced, as she nodded.

Walking side by side, Kali looked up at the blond with a large smile on her face.

"What?" He frowned.

"I told you…you're a good man" She stated as Sawyer's lips twitched into a smile too.

The pair didn't notice the muscular man standing in the shadows, watching their every move. The man had been hoping to grab Kali before she had managed to find Sawyer, but she had been too quick. Gritting their teeth, they balled their hands into fists and began to follow the pair back to camp. Another opportunity to kill the young girl had slipped through their fingers.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Sawyer really opened up to Kali in this chapter, both physically and mentally. We'll have to wait and see whether this makes any change to their relationship. I wonder who it was watching them in the shadows, hmm? Please leave a review:)

DrLexieSloan: Aw, thank you for the review:) We all love Boone, but Sawyer is impossible competition. I'm so happy you're enjoying their relationship, and I think you could definitely be on the right track with Kali's first time, haha. That's so great to hear my story is able to inspire you, that's some really big praise!

scripturient3201: Thank you so much! I'm glad I was able to make you feel sorry for Boone, bless him. It means a lot to hear you think I'm a good author! Let's hope Kali at least gets back to the beach in one piece!

kz4valentina: Thanks for the review:) Poor Boone, he doesn't haven't a great track record with relationships, does he? I'm not sure if Kali would have been ready for him to answer her, haha!

Ria: Thank you so much! That's some really big praise, I'm glad you're enjoying this story:)

Liza: Thanks for the review:) I'm glad you like my story! I hope you liked this chapter.


	26. Who's the Killer in the Crowd?

Kali smiled when she left their new tent the following morning. Sawyer had traded with one of the other islanders for their tent in exchange for a box of soap and packet of cigarettes. The new tent was bigger than the last, so as far as Kali was concerned it was a win-win. She tilted her head when she saw a note on the ground, with what looked like a piece of fruit on top of it.

"I'm sorry about how I acted yesterday. Consider this a peace offering? – Boone" Kali read aloud, as she crouched down.

"Jesus, are you two swapping love notes now?" She heard Sawyer scoff behind her.

"Jealous?" She grinned, picking up the red fruit.

"Oh yeah, I'm in bits about you getting a…what is that? A pomegranate?" Sawyer frowned.

"He can't exactly go to the shops and buy me a bunch of flowers, can he?" Kali rolled her eyes.

"We're living on an island covered in flowers" Sawyer pointed out.

"Well, I don't even know if I'd like flowers as a gift" She shrugged, as Sawyer raised an eyebrow.

"You've never been giving flowers? Now that's just sad, blue eyes" Sawyer shook his head.

"Looks like things are on the up" Kali grinned, raising the fruit to her lips.

"Wait!" A voice suddenly shouted as the pair turned around.

"What's wrong?" Kali frowned, as Sayid grabbed the fruit from her hand.

"This is poisonous" Sayid informed her, as Kali's eyes went wide.

"What? How poisonous?" Kali inquired.

"Deadly if you ate it all" Sayid replied.

"…Okay, remind me not to go picking food on this island without asking someone first" Kali mumbled to Sawyer, who had an angry look on his face.

"Oh, that asshole is dead" Sawyer growled, already walking towards Boone's tent.

"Sawyer, wait! We don't know if this was Boone" Kali reasoned, rushing to follow him.

"He basically left a handwritten confession!" Sawyer retorted, refusing to stop.

"And that doesn't seem odd to you? Just let me handle this, okay?" Kali insisted as they reached Boone's tent.

"You're the boss" Sawyer sighed, knowing there was no point arguing with her.

"Boone! Get your ass out here!" Kali called out, as she heard a mumbling inside the tent.

"Diplomatic" Sawyer chuckled, giving her an impressed look.

"Kali? What's going on?" Boone murmured, his voice deep as if he had just woken up.

"Is this your writing?" Kali asked, handing him the note, as Boone stepped out of his tent.

"No…what the hell? Who gave you this?" Boone questioned, seeing that someone had signed it as him.

"It was left outside our tent sometime this morning. With poisonous fruit" Kali admitted, as Boone's eyes widened.

"What?! Are you okay?" Boone asked, raising his hand to cup her cheek, clearly concerned.

Any suspicion that Kali or Sawyer died quickly faded away, both knowing when someone was lying and Boone certainly wasn't.

"Yeah, now I know this wasn't you. I was about to throw in the ocean" Kali told him.

"I swear I had nothing to do with this. I'd never hurt you" Boone insisted, sincerely.

"You better not" Kali stated, poking him in the chest with her finger.

With a small smile, Boone leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her lips, brushing her cheek with his thumb. Kali returned the smile as they pulled away.

"I could never be mad at you" Boone shook his head, as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Kali pulled him into a hug, as his head rested on her shoulder, a content look on his face. Sawyer watched the pair with a frown on his face, suddenly feeling more like an outsider than ever. He realised that he liked having Kali all to himself and wondered why he hadn't tried to turn her against Boone more the night before. But he already knew the answer. She liked Boone and for some reason above anything else, Sawyer wanted her to be happy.

As if Kali could hear Sawyer's thoughts, she was pulling away from Boone and turned to Sawyer. She noticed his eyes were on the hands around her waist, and took a step back, as Boone's hands dropped to his side.

"So, if it wasn't Boone…" Kali trailed off.

"Then who was it?" Sawyer finished for her.

* * *

"Just drop it, Sawyer" Kali rolled her eyes, as they entered the main part of the caves.

"Someone tried to kill you! I'm not going to drop it" Sawyer retorted, as Kali crouched down beside the waterfall where they collected their water.

"It wasn't Boone" Kali shook her head.

"Oh, and we're just going to take his word for it?" Sawyer scoffed, as a crowd started to form around the pair.

"We? That's rich coming from the guy who's so scared of commitment he won't even share his lunch with me" Kali mocked, as she took out her water bottle.

"That was one time!" Sawyer exclaimed, as she started to fill up the bottle.

"I know it wasn't Boone, okay? End of story" Kali insisted, looking around the crowd that had formed.

"What, because he's your precious boyfriend?" Sawyer teased, as Kali stood back up.

"I'm sorry if actually have other friends on this island" Kali retorted, as Sawyer gritted his teeth.

"You're acting like a stupid little girl" Sawyer scolded her, as Kali gaped at him.

In the next second, she was throwing the contents of her water bottle over the taller man, who glared at her angrily through his wet hair.

"Case and point" He murmured, brushing away his blond hair from his eyes.

"You can find somewhere else to sleep tonight," Kali told him, shoving past him.

"It's my damn tent!" Sawyer called after her.

Without turning around, Kali raised her middle finger in the air and stormed out of the clearing.

"Nice one, man" Hurley stated, with a shake of his head.

"Whatever. The show's over folks" Sawyer grumbled, as he took his backpack off.

As the crowd began to disperse, Sawyer crouched to the ground and began to fill up his own water bottle. Without making it too obvious, he began to survey the trees around the clearing and soon found Kali. Kate had rushed after her, partly because she was worried the girl was upset and partly because she could never miss a chance to bitch about Sawyer. The pair began to walk further into the jungle, as Kali turned her head and caught his eye. She sent a wink his way when she saw no one was watching. Looking back to the waterfall, Sawyer couldn't stop the grin that spread over his face. When they had come up with the plan for the fake fight, they had never talked about anyone throwing water over the other. He knew Kali had certainly enjoyed herself, and even he had. Things were always more interesting with her around. Everything was better, he realised with a frown.

* * *

Kali waited in a dark corner of their new tent; Sawyer's gun gripped tightly in her hand. It was a couple of hours after their fake fight in front of most of the islanders. She had made it clear that she was going back to the tent on her own, and if someone from the camp was trying to kill her, they should have been coming for her soon enough. Of course, what they didn't realise was that she was waiting for them, ready to put a bullet in them if she had to. Sawyer would be waiting in the tree line, ready to follow anyone who tried to enter the tent. Her legs were beginning to ache in their crouched position, but she knew she needed to be ready to move at any moment. Her head shot up when she heard a crunching sound from outside, and suddenly the tent opening was pushed open and a hooded figure walked through. Just as she had planned, they walked over to the sleeping bag that she had packed with rocks to make it look like she was tucked inside. The tent was deliberately dark, so they wouldn't be able to see the deception.

"That's far enough, mate" Kali announced, pressing the gun against their back.

"And no, that's not me happy to see you. So, drop any weapons you have, and I won't empty this mag into you" Kali warned them, taking a step back and raising her gun higher.

The figure slowly raised their hands to their head, as Kali watched their every move. As they turned around, she could guess from their lack of hair and build it was a man, but they still had their hood on.

"I have no weapons," A familiar voice told her, as they slowly removed their hood.

"Sayid?!" She questioned, as he looked at her guiltily.

"Please, let's talk about this-" Sayid was cut off as Kali hit him in the face with the butt of her gun, hard.

"I've had enough of talking" She murmured, as he dropped to the floor.

The next second Sawyer was rushing into the tent, his shoulder's sagging in relief when he saw that Kali wasn't hurt.

"I saw someone walking near the tent…Sayid?!" Sawyer trailed off, as he saw Sayid's unconscious form.

"I dealt with it" She stated, as Sawyer raised an eyebrow.

"Damn" Sawyer whistled, impressed for the second time that day.

"C'mon, we better tie him up" Kali suggested, grabbing some nearby rope.

"You don't have to tell me twice" Sawyer smirked, taking the rope from her hand.

* * *

"So, why would Mohammad here want to kill you?" Sawyer questioned, as they finished tying him up to a post in their tent.

"I have no idea. It doesn't make any sense" Kali sighed.

"Thanks for the mini shower earlier, by the way, nice touch" Sawyer stated, as Kali smirked.

"You deserved it" She shrugged, as he shook his head, fondly.

"Is that what you really think? That I'm a stupid little kid?" Kali inquired a moment later, as Sawyer turned to her.

"Trust me, blue eyes. If there's one thing I don't see you as…it's a kid" Sawyer pointed out, his eyes dropping lower for a moment.

Before Kali could say anything else, Sayid began to wake up, his eyes fluttering open.

"Remember we need him to tell us what's going on. The subtle approach" Kali told Sawyer, as he crouched down beside Sayid.

"Subtle, right" Sawyer nodded, as he punched Sayid square in the face.

"Sayid, wake up" Kali rolled her eyes, as she pulled Sawyer back up.

Sayid slowly blinked, looking around the tent, gulping when he saw Kali and Sawyer staring down at him.

"All the attempts on my life…the gun with no bullets, the poison fruit this morning, that was all you?" Kali wanted to clarify.

"Yes," Sayid admitted, as Sawyer balled his hands into a fist, clearly wanting to hit Sayid again.

"Why'd you stop me from eating the fruit this morning? We'd have never expected you. I could be dead, and everyone would have blamed Boone" Kali pointed out.

"For the same reason why I came here tonight. I couldn't do it. Because…because we're the same" Sayid told her.

"We are not the same" Kali scoffed.

"We've both done terrible things in the past and want to change. From what I can see you're using your second chance to be better and I…I was resorting to the ways of my past" Sayid explained.

"You know about my past?" Kali questioned.

"Yes. About what you did as a child" Sayid nodded.

"What she was made to do" Sawyer clarified.

"And that's why you wanted to kill me? You thought I, what? Deserved it?" Kali inquired, as Sayid shook his head.

"I was bribed" Sayid informed them.

"By who?" Kali frowned.

"I was approached at the airport bar before getting on the flight…" Sayid trailed off.

 _Sayid sighed as he took a sip of his 'complimentary bourbon' that had been offered to him by the airport after he had been wrongfully detained. His flight was not leaving for another three hours. That meant another three hours waiting until he could finally see Nadia again. He took out his picture of her, stroking her face lightly with his thumb._

 _"She's beautiful" A voice announced, as a man in his early twenties took up the stool beside him._

 _"Thank you" Sayid nodded to him, curtly._

 _"Shame you're never going to see her again, Sayid," The man told him, as Sayid's head shot up._

 _"What did you say?" Sayid frowned._

 _"The CIA are sending you on a wild goose chase. They have no idea where Nadia is. But I do" The man explained, as he took a pack of pictures out of his blazer._

 _"Taken yesterday. Proof that she's alive and well. Just not where they say she is" The man went on, picking up Sayid's drink and taking a swig._

 _"Mm, that's good bourbon" He mumbled, as Sayid grabbed him by the lapels of his blazer._

 _"Who are you?" Sayid questioned._

 _"An employer. I need your services" The man exclaimed._

 _"I don't torture people anymore" Sayid grimaced._

 _"Oh no, I don't want you to torture, anyone…Just kill them" The man shrugged, as he took out another picture from his suit._

 _"This girl in particular. She's going to be on your flight. You kill her, you get Nadia. Win-win" The man grinned._

 _"You're crazy" Sayid scoffed, looking at the picture of the young girl._

 _"You have no idea how often I get that" The man chuckled to himself._

 _"I'm not a for hire killer" Sayid insisted._

 _"Okay…if that's your answer. Good luck on the wild goose chase" The man replied, patting him on the back, as he went to stand up._

 _Sayid looked over the newspaper article with the young girl's face. 'Serial killer's sister, who was responsible for numerous murders, is starting University…should she really be free?'. Sayid gritted his teeth, as he grabbed the man's arm before he could walk away._

 _"Why do you want her dead?" Sayid asked._

 _"I was almost one of her victims" The man admitted, as he pulled down his shirt to reveal what looked like a bullet wound on his chest._

 _"Does she deserve it?" Sayid inquired._

 _"Does it really matter?" The man retorted as Sayid sighed._

 _"Look mate, you do this, and you get your happy ever after. It doesn't seem like much of a choice to me" The man stated._

 _"You expect me to kill her mid-air?" Sayid scoffed._

 _"Of course not. Just follow her when she gets off the plane and kill her. Take her body to this address and I'll tell you where Nadia is…hell, I'll take you there myself" The man explained, handing him an address._

 _"If you want her dead so bad, why don't you do it?" Sayid frowned._

 _"Been there, done that. Got the scar to prove it. Look just…consider it. I'll be at that address tonight. I hope you'll be there too" The man informed him, before walking away._

"But then the plane crashed…" Sawyer trailed off.

Kali was quiet, an almost zoned out expression on her face, as she seemed to be able to guess who the man was. Sawyer was pretty sure he had also figured it out. Her brother.

"I never got to decide what I was going to do. With everything that happened on this island…I didn't pay much thought to the bribe. What would be the point? I never turned up at the address. I never got the chance to see Nadia again" Sayid exclaimed.

"Then what changed?" Kali frowned.

"In my pocket, there's a note," Sayid told them, as Kali took a step forward.

However, Sawyer held out his hand to stop her, not trusting Sayid. He crouched down and quickly found the paper in Sayid's pocket and unfurled it.

"The deal still holds. Bring Kali to Rousseau's camp and I'll take you off the island and to Nadia" Sawyer read aloud, as Kali tore the note from his hands.

"I found it outside my tent a few nights ago. I…I thought I could indirectly cause your death. Take the bullets out of your gun but it didn't work. I tried to give you the poison fruit but…when I saw you about to eat it, I couldn't go through with it. You didn't deserve to die. And Nadia…she wouldn't want me to kill anyone just to get back to her. I came here tonight to confess to what I had done. I'm so sorry. I was weak and...I just wanted to see Nadia again-" Sayid explained.

"Who gave you this note?" Kali questioned, barely having heard his explanation.

"I told you, it-" Sayid was cut off as Kali raised the gun to his head.

"Maybe I'm not making myself clear…who gave you this note?" Kali growled, taking the safety off the gun.

"I don't know! I never saw. I swear!" Sayid replied, shakily.

"Kali, I don't think he knows" Sawyer agreed, his eyes wide at seeing the darker side of her.

"This is my brother's writing" Kali admitted, looking more scared than Sawyer had ever seen her.

"Are you sure?" Sawyer asked.

"I know my own brother's writing, Sawyer. He wrote this!" Kali cried.

"He couldn't have. You said it yourself, he was never on the plane" Sawyer pointed out.

"Then how do you explain this?!" Kali panicked.

"It…it must be the people who took Claire. They must have found out about the deal and wanted to…I don't know, cause trouble in the group. Turn us against each other" Sawyer explained.

"How would they know about any of this?" Kali frowned.

"It's like we thought. They have a way of the island. They've been able to find information on us. That's how that newspaper clipping about you got to the island" Sawyer went on.

"I…I need some air" Kali stuttered, as she rushed out of the tent.

Sawyer quickly followed her, finding her on the ground, her arms wrapped around her knees. Her eyes were glassy, and her breathing uneven. She looked all but ready to start hyperventilating.

"He's not here, Kali. He can't hurt you" Sawyer insisted, as a tear dropped down her cheek.

"But he's always here" She replied, pointing to her head.

"You're not alone. Not anymore" Sawyer told her, brushing away the tear with his thumb.

"Thank you" Kali nodded, taking his hand in her own.

"What are we going to do with him?" Sawyer inquired.

"Let him go" Kali announced, as Sawyer looked at her in disbelief.

"He tried to kill you!" Sawyer exclaimed.

"But he couldn't do it. We've got two options, let him go or kill him. And I don't want any more blood on my hands. Do you?" Kali pointed out.

"You don't even want to torture him a little?" Sawyer joked as Kali shook her head.

"Cut him loose," Kali told him, as he squeezed her hand before standing up.

* * *

"Kali's letting you go…" Sawyer trailed off, as he crouched down beside a relieved Sayid.

Without warning, Sawyer wrapped his hand around Sayid's neck and slammed his head into the pole, a furious look on his face.

"So, this is how it's going to be. You're not going to talk to her ever again. Hell, I don't want you to even breathe the same air as her. And if anything or anyone hurts a hair on her head…I'll be coming for you first" Sawyer threatened, squeezing his neck more with every word.

Taking a knife from his back pocket, he saw Sayid's eyes grow wide with fear. He then cut the rope binding Sayid's wrists and walked away. If he had to look at the man's face for one more second, he was going to do something he'd regret.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I'm doing longer chapters for all my stories at the moment, as I'm on my summer holidays. So the question is...who really wrote that letter? Was it one of the Others or could it somehow be Kali's brother? Also I don't hate Sayid, he's actually one of my favourite characters but I feel like this was something he could have done in Season 1. We'll have to wait and see if he can ever make things up to Kali. Please leave a review:)

farrahjohnson21: Looks like you'd have to go up against Sayid and whoever wrote that note...that's some tough competition, haha. Also, I was so happy to see that Sawyer and Kali have become your OTP, thank you:)

DrLexieSloan: Thanks for the review:) Unfortunately for Boone, I think Kali will always choose Sawyer. They're both wrapped around each other's fingers without even realising it. I did change who the person who wanted to kill Kali was, so I'd be amazed if you got it right, haha!

kz4valentina: Thank you for the review! We found out who's been trying to kill her...but who was the mastermind? That will come out a bit later, haha. Really glad you're enjoying their relationship. The raft is definitely going to play a big part in this story, and their relationship:)

Guest: Thank you! This chapter was a lot longer, so hopefully you enjoyed that, haha:)

teganraptor: Enjoy this new chapter:)


	27. Up In Flames

Kali pulled back her sweaty hair into a ponytail, as it continued to get in her way while she was collecting bamboo. Ever since her confrontation with Sayid, all she could think about was getting off the island. She knew it was impossible, but just the thought of her brother being on the island was enough to put her on edge. Kali had got to work quickly with helping to build the raft and had managed to get a place for Sawyer too. She knew that Michael needed more cable to keep the mast together, and Sawyer had just what he needed.

"Hydrate?" A voice questioned, from behind her.

She turned to see Jack walking towards her with a water bottle in his hand, which she gladly took.

"Thanks, Doc" She smiled, taking a large gulp.

"You've been working on the raft for hours; don't you think you should take a break?" Jack suggested.

"No rest for the wicked" She grinned, as she picked up her bamboo and began to carry it back to the raft.

"Why the sudden need to get off the island?" Jack queried.

"I don't feel like having my 21st on this island, and if we don't get this raft going…it looks like that's going to happen" Kali shrugged, placing the bamboo by Michael's feet.

"That's two years away" Jack retorted, not believing her excuse.

"Well, time flies when you're running for your life through a forest" Kali joked.

"Hey, don't go scaring away my hardest worker," Michael told Jack.

"I'm your only worker" Kali pointed out.

"Exactly" Michael replied, giving her a mocking smile, which she returned.

"So how many people do you think you'll be able to get on this thing?" Jack questioned.

"Five people. So that's only one space left" Michael informed him.

"Who's got the other spot?" Jack frowned.

"What's the matter, Doc? Feeling left out?" Sawyer announced, approaching them with a coil of cable in his hand.

"You're taking Sawyer with you? What, you two come as a pair now?" Jack scoffed.

"Yeah, basically" Sawyer grinned, swinging his arm around Kali's shoulders.

"I need the cable for the mast. It makes sense" Michael explained.

"Well, good luck. I hope it floats" Jack shook his head, as he started to walk away.

"You know you could help, seeing as I've managed to get you a spot," Kali said to Sawyer, as she shuffled away from his embrace.

"And take all your glory? Nice hair, by the way. Suits ya'" Sawyer told her, as he headed back to their tent, leaving her with a blush on her cheeks.

"So, are you two a couple now?" Michael inquired, as Kali's eyes widened.

"What? No!" Kali replied, blushing even more.

"Huh…you just seem close" Michael shrugged.

"We're friends. That's all" Kali insisted, as Michael nodded, with a smug smile.

Kali rolled her eyes, as she tried to get her blush under control. Since when did she act like a little schoolgirl with a crush, she groaned to herself.

* * *

That night, Sawyer watched as Sayid walked along the beach with Shannon, both with large smiles on their faces. Kali could tell what he was thinking instantly.

"Don't even think about it" She told him, as she ate a piece of mango.

"She should know who she's hanging around with" Sawyer pointed out, laying down on his side.

"Maybe so, but then we'd have to explain why Sayid wanted to kill me and I don't want that" Kali explained.

"Fine, but we could at least scare her off him" Sawyer suggested, as Kali ate the last bit of mango.

"What are you gonna' do? Tell her he's a bad boy? She'll only go for him more then" Kali explained.

"I just don't like that he's swanning around the island, acting like nothing's wrong when he tried to kill you a couple of days ago" Sawyer huffed.

"You know what, you're right. I'm officially taking him off my Christmas card list" Kali mocked, resting her head on Sawyer's shoulder.

"Oh, ha ha. I'm just trying to look out for you" Sawyer pouted, childishly.

"I know. I'm sorry, I'm not used to someone actually…caring" Kali admitted as Sawyer turned to face her.

"Well, I'm not used to caring" Sawyer confessed, as she smiled at him, resting her head on her hand.

"Kali, Sawyer!" The pair turned around to see Charlie racing towards them.

"What's wrong?" Kali questioned, standing up.

"The rafts on fire! It's pretty bad…" Charlie trailed off, as Kali was already running past him.

Sawyer ran after her, only stopping momentarily to take in the devastation in front of him. The raft was completely engulfed in flames, smoke rising above it. A few people were already there trying to put the flames out with very little success.

"No, no!" Kali cried, as she began throwing sand onto the flames, clearly not caring how close she got.

Sawyer joined by her side but could quickly tell that it was hopeless. Too much damage had already been done. More people began to crowd around the raft, as the flames began to rise higher. Whilst the others moved back, the heat too much for them to handle, Kali stayed in place. With the way the fire was spreading, she would soon enough get burnt, but Sawyer could tell she didn't care.

"It's too late" Sawyer sighed, but she didn't listen, as she continued throwing sand at the raft.

"Kali…it's over" Sawyer insisted, placing his hand on her shoulder, which stopped her in her tracks.

She backed up a few steps, before dropping to her knees, looking devastated. Kate was standing next to Sun a few metres away and couldn't understand why Kali was so upset.

"How the hell are we going to get off this island now?" Kali mumbled.

"We'll build another raft. I'll even help this time. Right, Michael?" Sawyer insisted, his hand still on her shoulder, as he turned to Michael.

"Where is he? Where is he?!" Michael turned around and yelled at Sun.

"Jin did this" Sawyer exclaimed, as he watched Michael argue with Sun.

"We don't know that…" Kali trailed off.

"Who else would it be?" Sawyer queried, but Kali didn't have the answer.

* * *

"So, was I going to be the last to know that you were leaving on the raft?" Boone inquired, as Kali left her tent this morning.

She had only woken up a few minutes ago and realised Sawyer wasn't in their tent. He had gone after Jin who had vanished after the raft burnt. Which meant she didn't have the time to argue with Boone.

"No. But when exactly was I supposed to tell you? I've barely seen you recently" Kali pointed out.

"I've been with John-" Boone began, but she cut him off.

"Hunting, right? That's bullshit and we both know it" Kali retorted.

"Kali, I wish I could tell you what we've been doing but…I just can't" Boone shook his head.

"You don't want to tell me, fine. But don't expect me to share things with you then" Kali explained.

"You're pissed" Boone sighed.

"Understandably. I told you someone tried to poison me, and you've barely said two words about it for God's sake!" Kali pointed out.

"I know, and I'm sorry it's just…things have been going on with Shannon and Sayid and I needed to look out for her-" Boone began, but she cut him off.

"Boone, this isn't working. I don't want to be second best" Kali admitted.

"So, that's it? Whatever this was, it's over?" Boone questioned.

"Yeah, I guess it is" Kali mumbled, as she began to walk away.

"I don't want to be second best either…so if you're looking for Sawyer, he's up the beach. Looks like he caught Jin" Boone told her, before turning away angrily.

"Jesus, I'm really making up for all the relationship drama I missed as a teenager" Kali mumbled to herself, as she began to run up the beach.

* * *

She was horrified to see a bloody Jin on the ground, as Michael began to punch him repeatedly. Jack tried to take a step forward, but Sawyer held him back. Jin seemed to goad Michael on in Korean, as Kali looked away with a grimace.

"You happy?" Kali questioned Sawyer, as she came to stand beside him.

"He deserves it" Sawyer replied but didn't look quite so sure himself.

He then noticed Sayid standing only a few metres away, as their eyes met. With an angry glare being sent his way, Sayid quickly began to walk away, not wanting a fight. Kali noticed this and turned to the blond with a frown.

"What was that look about?" She inquired.

"Nothing for you to worry about, blue eyes," Sawyer told her.

A loud scream grabbed the attention of everyone on the beach, as they realised Sun had just spoken, and it wasn't in Korean.

"Leave him alone! He did not burn your raft!" Sun announced.

"Am I losing it or is she speaking English?" Kali frowned.

"Must be a joint hallucination" Sawyer mumbled.

"You understood us? All this time? Why didn't you say anything?" Jack asked.

"Your raft was already on fire when he arrived. He burned his hands trying to put it out" Sun explained.

"Then why did he run?...Exactly, that's what I thought" Michael stated, when he got no reply.

"My husband is many things. But he is not a liar" Sun insisted.

"You're going to lecture us about lying, Betty? From the look on his face, even your old man here didn't know you speak English. How do we know she's not covering for him?" Sawyer went on.

"Because she's isn't! Why would he burn the raft?" Locke announced, walking over to the group.

"He's been after me since day one, everybody knows it! What if-" Michael began, but Locke cut him off.

"Okay, it's personal, but why take it out on our best chance of getting off the Island? Why would any one of us block an attempt to get home? We're so intent on pointing the finger at one another that we're ignoring the simple undeniable truth that the problem isn't here, it's there! They've attacked us, sabotaged us, abducted us, murdered us! Maybe it's time we stop blaming us and start worrying about them! We're not the only people on this Island and we all know it!" Locke warned them all, before walking away again.

This speech had caught Kali's attention, who could smell the manipulation a mile away. Locke was someone not to underestimate she realised.

"He did not do it" Sun insisted, as the crowd began to disperse.

"Looks like Locke might be after your position as leader, Doc" Kali informed Jack, as she and Sawyer walked past him.

* * *

"That was a great speech you gave earlier…" Kali trailed off, from where she was perched on a rock at the Caves.

She had been waiting for the older man to turn up, wanting to confront him about the events on the beach.

"Thank you" Locke nodded to her, as he bent down to fill his water bottle.

"All that drama about abduction and sabotage…Couldn't be more exciting if you'd made the whole thing up" Kali went on, raising an eyebrow.

"You don't believe it was the other people on this island?" Locke questioned, as she came to stand near him.

"I think that you don't believe it. I think that you're trying to manipulate the group…maybe into becoming your little soldiers?" Kali went on, as Locke smiled.

"I can see why Boone likes you. You're smart" Locke praised her, standing to meet her level.

"I just have an eye for manipulation" Kali retorted.

"You're right. I did think I knew who caused the fire, but I was wrong" Locke shrugged.

"What?" Kali frowned.

"I thought it was Walt. He had been planning to but…I guess someone beat him to it" Locke admitted.

"Like the others?" Kali suggested.

"Maybe someone closer to home. Who knows if there were other survivors from the crash" Locke suggested, as he walked away.

Kali's mind was suddenly set into overdrive. It was only after people found out that she was going to be on the raft that it was burnt. Closer to home…

"It couldn't be" Kali mumbled, her mind going to one person who'd want to stop her leaving the island.

Her brother.

* * *

"Hey, Sayid!" Kali called to him, the next morning.

"Should you be speaking to me?" Sayid questioned, looking around for Sawyer.

"Sawyer's guarding the raft. Is it true that you're going to the French woman's camp?" Kali inquired.

"Hurley has gone to look for her. We want to bring him back. I swear it has nothing to do with…that note" Sayid told her.

"Well, I need it to. I want to know why someone wanted to meet you there. See if you can find any signs that someone was staying with her?" Kali explained.

"Rousseau would never let anyone stay, even on the same part of the island as her. You have my word on that" Sayid went on.

"My brother can be very persuasive" Kali grimaced.

"You really think he's here? On the island?" Sayid frowned.

"I don't know for sure. But someone is screwing with me and I want to know who it is" Kali exclaimed.

"Very well. I'll see what I can find" Sayid nodded.

"Keep your distance from Charlie and Jack" Kali announced, who she knew were going with him.

"Why do you ask that?" Sayid inquired.

"Because your dangerous and they're my friends" Kali clarified.

"They're my friends too" Sayid retorted.

"Well, I've seen what you do to your friends" Kali shoot back, with a glare.

Later that day, Kali was walking towards the raft and wasn't surprised when she heard shouting from nearby. With a sigh, she spotted Sawyer and Michael arguing as usual.

"Seriously? I leave you two for five minutes and you're already at each other's throats?" Kali announced, placing a hand on her hip.

"He started it!" Sawyer yelled.

"Well, I'm ending it" Kali rolled her eyes at his childish behaviour.

A moment later, there was a loud commotion as bamboo rolled over the beach because it hadn't been tied well enough. Instantly, Michael was going after Jin, who had surprisingly begun helping them. He seemed desperate to get off the island ever since he found out his wife could speak English. Sawyer let out a loud huff, picked up his book up and stormed off, with Kali following him.

"What's with you today?" Kali questioned, catching up with him.

"Nothing. Just a headache, that's all" Sawyer grimaced, as he approached their tent.

He pushed through the tent flaps and flopped onto his sleeping bag, with a grunt. Kali saw how his face was scrunched in pain, as he shut his eyes.

"Here, you might be dehydrated" Kali suggested, handing him her water bottle.

"Maybe…" Sawyer mumbled, pushing himself into a sitting position.

While he took a swig of the drink, Kali placed her hands on his cheeks, as his eyes snapped up to hers.

"What are you doing?" Sawyer queried.

"Trying to see if you're feverish…maybe I should go to the caves for a thermometer" Kali bit her lip.

"Like I said…just a headache," He told her, but made no move to push her away, enjoying the cold feel of her hands against his face.

"You feel hot" Kali stated.

"I look hot too" Sawyer grinned.

"Hmm, sweaty is probably more accurate" Kali teased, taking her hands away.

Suddenly there was an awkward cough at the entrance of their tent, as they turned to see Sayid standing there, his eyes flittering between the pair.

"The hell are you doing here?" Sawyer growled, standing up.

"Doing what I was asked to" Sayid retorted, his eyes going to Kali.

"Rousseau's camp was boobytrapped. It exploded the moment we got close" Sayid announced.

"Damnit" Kali sighed, thinking that was the end of that trail.

"But I did find something…" Sayid trailed off, taking a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Sawyer.

Kali stood up and looked past Sawyer's shoulder to see it was another newspaper clipping. An old one.

"20th July 1993" Sawyer read the date, as Kali's eyes widened.

She immediately grabbed it from his hands and let out a shaky breath when she saw the picture under the heading. It was of her family.

"Fourteen-year-old serial killer murders parents and youngest sister, but remains at large" Kali mumbled, her fingers holding onto the paper tightly.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Sayid told her, as he left the tent, with a sad expression on his face.

"It doesn't mean he's here. Anyone could have that" Sawyer insisted, knowing that was where her mind would be going.

"I remember this headline. It was before they tried to hide my identity. They tried to take all the papers off the market, but it was too late. Everyone knew my face…" Kali exclaimed as she ripped the writing from the page, leaving just the picture.

"When was the picture taken?" Sawyer asked.

"My brother's fourteenth birthday. My mum said she wanted a family picture, which was weird because we really weren't **_that_** family. We'd always argue and fight. Really not picture-perfect" Kali went on.

"Sounds pretty normal" Sawyer pointed out.

"He killed someone hours before this photo. Made me hide his bloody clothes so our mum wouldn't see them. I got grounded for like a week because I slammed the door in her face and had to hide the clothes underneath my bed. Still, she dragged me along to that photoshoot. Kept saying it was going to be a big year…not so normal, huh?" Kali scoffed, sadly.

"And I thought my childhood was messed up" Sawyer mumbled.

"This is the only picture of my family out there. My brother could have kept this newspaper article, so he'd-" Kali suggested, but Sawyer cut her off.

"What, have a picture to remember his victims by?" Sawyer questioned, immediately regretting it when he saw the hurt flash over her face.

"He loved our parents. He told me he regretted it…but I didn't believe him…" Kali sighed.

"That when you two had your big showdown?" Sawyer guessed as Kali turned to him in surprise.

"How did you…?" Kali trailed off.

"You said when we first came to the island that someone shot you…and that bullet you keep on you…it's the one you shot him with, right?" Sawyer explained.

"I don't want to talk about it" Kali shook her head, her eyes becoming watery.

"I get it" Sawyer nodded.

"That you?" He asked, pointing to the small girl on the end, as she nodded.

He noticed that Kali's mother had her hands on her brother's shoulders, and her father was hugging her younger sister, whereas Kali seemed separate from the rest of them. She was smiling in the picture, but it didn't meet her eyes.

"You look sad" Sawyer mumbled.

"I was…God, I barely recognise myself. I never let anyone take pictures of me after that…still don't" Kali sighed.

"Why not?" Sawyer frowned.

"I was always worried someone would recognise me…or the press would get it. Better I was just forgotten about" Kali explained.

"Hold on a sec…" Sawyer trailed off, as he left the tent, making Kali frown.

He came back a minute later with a polaroid camera in hand and a large grin on his face.

"What're you doing?" Kali inquired.

"Well I already know who you are…and there's no press here. New memories, right?" Sawyer suggested, holding up the camera.

"I look like a sweaty mess" She huffed.

"No, you don't. You look…" Sawyer trailed off, almost shyly.

"What?" Kali asked.

"Pretty, or whatever. You gonna' let me take this picture this year?" Sawyer exclaimed, as Kali grinned and nodded.

There was a quick flash and then soon enough the picture was coming out, as Sawyer grabbed it before Kali could.

"Oh wow, I look terrible" Kali groaned when she caught a glimpse of the picture.

"No, blue eyes. You really don't" Sawyer told her, a small smile on his face.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Would you like some more cheesiness with your order? Haha. Looks like things are over between Kali and Boone, how will that affect things, especially Kali and Sawyer's relationship? Please leave a review:)

scripturient3201: Aw, thank you so much, it really means a lot to me that you think my story is well written! I hope you like this chapter too:)

DrLexieSloan: Thanks for the review, I'm always happy to take praise, haha. This made me realise I haven't given Kali a face claim! I've based Kali's physical description on the actress Lyndsy Fonseca, but from like 2008/09 when she was more Kali's age. I'm glad you like the twist, I had thought about Boone being involved, but he's just too nice for that. I hope you enjoy this chapter:)

kz4valentina: Thank you for this review:) Glad you like the reveal, and ooo that would be a massive twist, wouldn't it?

carmelitajones: Aw, thank you! So happy your liking my story:)


	28. Don't You Leave Me

"Are you still getting headaches?" Kali queried, as she approached Sawyer, who was placing a damp cloth over his eyes.

"I'm fine" Sawyer mumbled.

"No, you're not" Kali insisted, as she grabbed the cloth from his face.

"I will be if everyone would just quiet down!" Sawyer yelled, his eyes finding Michael who was hammering a part of the new raft.

"Mature" Kali stated, as she knelt to sit beside him.

"It's just headaches," Sawyer told her, as he saw the concerned look still on her face.

"Then why do you look so worried?" Kali countered as Sawyer groaned.

He noticed Boone walking along the beach, an annoyed look on his face, as he went to turn the other way when he saw Kali.

"Hey, would you come get your girlfriend, bonehead? She's bugging me!" Sawyer called over to the younger man.

"Didn't you hear? We broke up" Boone retorted, not bothering to turn around.

"We weren't actually ever together!" Kali pointed out, as Boone waved his hand towards her in a dismissive gesture.

"You guys have a fight?" Sawyer guessed, an interested tone in his voice.

"He's lying to me about something" Kali replied.

"So were you last time I checked" Sawyer scoffed.

"Yeah but…aren't you supposed to be on my side?" Kali grumbled as Sawyer seemed to think about her comment for a moment.

"True. Good for you for dumping the dead weight" Sawyer shrugged, placing the cloth back over his eyes, as a guilty expression grew on Kali's face.

"Don't try changing the subject, Sawyer. These headaches are getting to you, I can tell" Kali insisted.

"Look…I don't want to talk about it. Can we just drop it?" Sawyer sighed.

"Fine. I'll be building the raft to get us both of this damn island if you need me" Kali huffed, as she stood up and turned around.

Sawyer took the cloth away from his eyes as he watched her go, not liking how Kali found it so easy to see through him. He remembered how the symptoms started for his uncle. First, it was headaches, then sensitivity to the light…next thing he knew his uncle was dead. How was he supposed to tell Kali he might be dying?

* * *

"Hey, Jack" Kali announced, as she approached him by the waterfall at the caves.

"What happened to calling me Doc?" Jack inquired.

"I need a favour" Kali admitted, as Jack huffed out a laugh.

"Go on" He nodded.

"I need a medical diagnosis" Kali stated.

"Why? Are you sick?" Jack frowned.

"It's not for me," Kali said, biting her lip.

"For Sawyer then? He can come ask me himself if he needs medical advice" Jack pointed out, crossing his arms.

"But we both know he won't. Look, he's getting these bad headaches and I can tell he's worried that it's something serious" Kali explained, as Jack seemed to mull it over.

"Okay. I'll help" Jack nodded, as Kali's face grew into a grin.

"But you'll be the one making the diagnosis" Jack informed her.

"Uh, I'm not a doctor last time I checked" Kali frowned.

"No, but you are the only person on this island with any medical experience. And I'm not going to be on the raft, so any injuries or illness that happen are going to be down to you. God knows how long you might be on the raft for. So…it's time for your training to start" Jack went on.

"Alright, so let's start with Sawyer's headaches then. He's also got sensitivity to light" Kali added.

"Huh, interesting. Any phantom smells?" Jack asked as Kali shook her head.

"What else might help us understand what's causing the headaches?" Jack questioned.

"Um…time of the day?" Kali suggested as Jack ushered her on to continue.

"Well, they seem to get worse during the day…" Kali trailed off.

"So, it might be an activity he's participating in that's making them worse?" Jack told her.

"He's barely moved off his ass for the last few days. All he does is sit there making crude jokes and…reading! He's been reading loads since he got to the island!" Kali realised.

"And what could that mean?" Jack inquired.

"Glasses? He needs glasses, right?" Kali guessed, excitedly.

"There we go. Your halfway to being a doctor already" Jack joked as Kali scoffed.

"Shouldn't you still check him out? Just in case?" Kali insisted.

"You're that worried about him?" Jack asked as she nodded.

"C'mon, this could be the perfect way to get your own back on him! Think about all the ways you could embarrass him" Kali suggested, with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Alright…I'm listening" Jack grinned.

After having to forcibly drag Sawyer to the caves, Kali watched with interest as Jack conducted a few examinations on Sawyer, waiting for the questions to start.

"Have you ever had sex with a prostitute?" Jack questioned, as Sawyer's eyes widened.

"What the hell has that got to do with anything?" Sawyer retorted.

"Is that a yes?" Jack insisted as Sawyer sighed.

"Yes" He admitted, as Kali tried to keep the amused smile off her face, but clearly failed.

"Does she have to be here?" Sawyer asked, ushering towards Kali.

"She's training…Have you ever contracted a sexually transmitted disease?...I'll take that as another yes" Jack went on, as Sawyer rolled his eyes.

"When was the last outbreak?" Jack queried, as Sawyer sprung to his feet angrily.

"Go to hell, Doc" Sawyer grumbled, as he quickly stormed away.

Jack and Kali shared a look before they both burst out laughing at Sawyer's defensiveness.

"That did feel good" Jack confessed, the smile still on his face.

"Guess I'll go break the good news to him that he's not dying" Kali grinned, as she stood up to follow the angry blond.

"So I know I wanted to embarrass him, but I can't help but wonder why you wanted to know about his sex life?" Jack accused, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm a curious kind of girl" Kali shrugged, as Jack shook his head fondly.

* * *

A few of the other islanders had crowded around to watch the spectacle of Sawyer trying his new glasses on for the first time. Kali had used one of the hundreds of favours Sayid owed her, and soon enough Sawyer had glasses made from two different pairs. Kali couldn't stop sniggering when he put them on, not because of the glasses, but the despondent look on his face.

"Dude, it looks like someone steamrolled Harry Potter" Hurley teased, as he walked past.

Sawyer quickly pulled the glasses from his face, as a small blush spread over his cheeks. Jack patted him on the shoulder as he walked away, thinking he had embarrassed the man enough.

"I look stupid" Sawyer grumbled, as Kali came to sit beside him.

"They're not that bad. And it's not like you have to wear them all the time" Kali insisted.

"Oh great, so I only have to look like an idiot half the time?" Sawyer huffed, as Kali grabbed the glasses from his hands.

"I think you look cute," Kali told him, as she placed them back on his face.

"You're really not selling these glasses, blue eyes" Sawyer stated.

"I can think of a few other words. Adorable? Maybe even pretty?" Kali teased, as Sawyer rolled his eyes.

"Gee, thanks" He mumbled, sarcastically.

"That's your new nickname! Pretty boy" Kali grinned, as Sawyer groaned louder.

"I hate you sometimes" Sawyer stated, as he stood up.

"Yeah, I love you too, pretty boy" Kali grinned, as Sawyer held out his arms in annoyed gesture and stormed off.

Kali was still giggling when she heard loud footsteps from behind her. Thinking it was Jack returning to tease Sawyer some more, she whipped her head around.

"He's gonna…" Kali trailed off, the grin falling from her face, as she saw there was no one there.

"Jack?" She queried, as she looked around her to see where the sound had come from.

Her heart stopped for a moment when she saw a figure standing in the treeline, their back turned to her. They were wearing a black hoodie, meaning she couldn't tell who it was. From the scruffy trainers they were wearing and height, she assumed it was a man.

"Hey…you almost gave me a heart attack there" Kali called over to them, but still the figure didn't move.

"Hello?" Kali frowned, as she took a step forward.

She turned around for a moment to see if anyone else was around as a bad feeling began to settle in her stomach. She sighed when she saw everyone had disappeared, leaving just her and the creepy guy in the treeline. Her frown deepened when she saw the man still hadn't moved and started to cautiously approach them.

"Are you okay?" Kali questioned, as she came to a stop only a metre away from them.

Suddenly, the man began to sprint away from her, as if he had heard something she hadn't. Without a second thought, Kali set off after them, wanting to figure out who the mysterious man was. They were much faster than her, but every time she began to lose them in the undergrowth of the jungle, they slowed so that she could catch up. Her eyes widened as she realised that they wanted her to follow them.

"Stop! Who are you?!" Kali yelled as they switched directions quickly.

She heard a thump from the direction and found a large rope was now laying on the floor. Did they want her to pick it up?

"Hello?!" Kali cried out, looking around in all directions, but could no longer see any sign of the man.

"What am I doing?" Kali sighed, as she realised, she had no idea where she was.

"Boone!" She heard a male voice shout in this distance, as her head snapped up.

"Boone! Are you alright?" Another yell could be heard, as Kali realised it was Locke's voice.

She quickly picked up the rope and began to sprint in the direction of the voice, as she could hear the desperation in his tone. She came to a halt when she arrived in a clearing and looked up to see a small plane hanging off a nearby cliff, looking like it would fall at any second.

"Locke! What…where's Boone?" Kali questioned, as she saw the older man on the ground with blood on his trousers.

"He's up there" Locke informed her, as she crouched beside him.

"What?! Boone, what the hell are you doing!" Kali screeched, as Locke flinched at the loud sound next to his ear.

"Kali? What are you doing here?" Boone responded; his voice muffled.

"That's seriously what you think is important right now?" Kali exclaimed; annoyance clear in her tone.

"It's my fault…I wanted to go up there but my legs…I can't move. It's going to fall" Locke explained, as Kali looked at how high up the plane was.

"Shit…I'm coming up Boone!" She announced, as she pushed herself up and began to jog towards the cliff.

"No! No, don't do that. It's too dangerous" Boone insisted.

"Then come down!" Kali pointed out, as she began to tug on a large tree root to see if it would hold her weight.

"I can't! There's a radio in here…I'm close" Boone told her, as he slowly shifted towards the front of the plane.

"It's not worth it! Just come out!" Kali called out but got no response from Boone.

"I am going to kill that man" Kali grumbled, as she began to pull herself up the cliff, using the large tree root.

It took Kali a lot longer than she expected it took Boone, as she lacked his upper arm strength, but eventually she made it to the top. Just as she was tying the rope to a nearby branch, the plane suddenly lurched forward, and for a terrifying second, she thought it would fall to the ground. The branches and vines that were still just about holding it in place, groaned at the effort.

"Boone! Get out of there!" Kali shrieked, as she began to tie the knot even quicker.

"I'm almost there…" Boone trailed off, as Kali could hear the radio come to life.

"Hello? Is anyone out there? Can anyone hear me?" Boone questioned, as he picked up the radio.

"Boone, there's no time!" Locke insisted as he tried to push himself upright.

"Is someone there?" A muffled voice responded on the radio, as Kali's head shot up.

"Hello! Can you hear me?" Boone cried; an ecstatic look on his face.

"Repeat your transmission please," The voice told him, as Kali finished tying the knot and wrapped the rope around her wrist.

"We're survivors of Oceanic Flight 815. Please copy!" Boone exclaimed.

Kali's eyes widened as the plane began to lurch forward again, as she jumped down to the next branch, rope wrapped around one wrist and grabbed the doorframe.

"Boone! Run!" She screamed as she felt the plane begin to tip forward further.

She yelled in pain, feeling the sharp metal edge of the doorframe cut into her hand, as she put all her weight into stopping the plane from falling. Just as the plane twisted further towards the ground, Boone suddenly leapt out of the door, having heard her warning. He grabbed onto the branch Kali was standing on, as a split second later the plane plummeted towards the ground. The pair flinched as they heard the loud bang as the plane broke apart, knowing Boone would have died if he was still inside the plane a second longer. Kali's eyes widened as she felt the branch underneath her feet began to creak, and quickly held her hand out to Boone.

"Grab my hand, it's going to give!" She insisted as he did what he was told without a second thought.

With a pained cry, she helped pull him up towards the rope, as he let go of the branch with his other hand and grabbed the rope. Kali gasped as she felt the branch give underneath her, as she slipped down the rope. Letting go of Boone's hand, she gripped on tightly to the rope, as her legs dangled in the air.

"Are you two alright?" Locke called up.

"Yeah, we're just dandy" Kali grimaced, as Boone manoeuvred his grip on the rope.

Kali was hanging on the edge of the rope, while Boone was hanging just above her. They both looked up in a panic when they heard a scraping sound above them and saw the rope was beginning to unfurl around the tree.

"Oh shit…" Kali gulped, as she looked down to see the large drop below, now matched with the dangerous wreckage of the plane.

Cautiously, Boone pulled himself up the rope a little further but stopped immediately when they could see the rope began to unfurl quicker.

"This rope isn't going to hold us much longer" Boone sighed.

"Guess I should have joined the Scouts, huh?" Kali joked, trying to stop herself from panicking.

"Maybe…maybe we can swing across to the next branch-" Boone suggested, but Kali cut him off.

"We'll fall before we can get close enough. We're too heavy" Kali explained.

"…I could get close enough to swing you across" Boone told her.

"And then you'd fall" Kali pointed out.

"You shouldn't even be up here" Boone retorted, both their eyes snapping up as they heard a snap and the rope slipped down further.

"You're not going to die for me, Boone…no one else is going to die because of me" Kali shook her head, as tears began to well in her eyes.

Boone realised at the last second what she was planning to do, as she scrunched her eyes shut, and let go of the rope. He let out a cry, as he grabbed her hand, catching her before she could fall.

"Don't you dare. Don't you dare let go!" Boone insisted, as he tried to pull her up, but started to lose his grip on the rope.

"It's not your fault. Just let me go" Kali exclaimed, as she looked up at him, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Please Kali…you can't do this" Boone sobbed.

"Tell Sawyer…tell him I'm sorry" She cried, as she let go of his hand, and began to slip through his fingers.

"Kali!" He screamed, as plummeted towards the ground below.

Kali shut her eyes as she felt the wind blowing through her hair, whilst she hugged her arms tightly to her chest. The last thing she heard was Boone shouting her name, as she felt a burning hot sensation in her back, and everything went dark around her.

* * *

"No!" Boone yelled as he saw her broken body laid out below on the wreckage.

Locke instantly started to crawl towards her, as he found his legs suddenly began to move again.

"Kali? Kali?!" He exclaimed, patting her face, but got no response.

He placed his head on her chest and panicked when he realised, she wasn't breathing. He grabbed her wrist to make sure and sighed when he couldn't feel a pulse. He could see blood oozing out from underneath her head and guessed she died on impact. The fall was too far for anyone to survive.

"Kali?" Boone cried as he finished climbing down the tree roots, having almost having fallen a few times with how desperate he was to get down.

"I'm sorry, Boone. It's too late" Locke told him, as Boone rushed towards him.

"No! Don't say that" Boone shook his head, as he crouched down beside Kali and pressed his fingers to feel for her pulse on her neck.

"There! She's still alive!" Boone announced, as his shoulders sagged in relief.

"What?" Locke frowned, as he looked down to see her chest moving slightly.

"We need to get her to Jack…Now!" Boone insisted as he picked her up bridal style.

Locke grimaced as he saw the way her head hung at an awkward angle, as he was almost sure her neck was broken. Boone seemed to ignore this, as he began running back towards the caves, not knowing what he would do if she died.

"But she was dead..." Locke murmured, feeling a cold sensation wash over him.

* * *

Jack and Kate were still laughing about Sawyer's new glasses when they saw Boone rushing towards them, a bleeding Kali hanging limply in his arms.

"Jack! Help!" He shouted as Jack was on his feet instantly.

"Over here! What happened to her?" Jack questioned, as Boone carefully lowered her onto a makeshift bed.

"She…she fell off a cliff…I…she shouldn't have even been there…" Boone stuttered as Jack began to pat her face.

"Kali? Kali, can you hear me?" Jack inquired but got no response.

"Is she going to be okay?" Boone panicked.

"Her pulse is weak and…" Jack trailed off when he saw the material underneath her head was already becoming soaked with blood.

"Help me turn her over" Jack ordered, as Boone and Kate did as they were told.

Kate had to look away as she noticed the way Kali's neck flopped to the side, as she could see bruises covering her spine. Jack was more worried about the blood still pouring from the back of her head.

"Okay, I'm going to need water, shirts, towels…anything to stop the bleeding" Jack said, as he turned to Kate, who was still looking away with a horrified expression.

"Now, Kate!" Jack shouted, pulling her from her daze, as she quickly began to search for anything to use.

"Alright, let's turn her back…what the hell were you doing on a cliff?" Jack questioned, as he began to survey Kali for any more injuries.

"I…I was out hunting with Locke and…we found this plane, I thought they would be something to help inside but it started to fall and she…she saved me" Boone cried, as he realised for the first time that Locke was nowhere to be seen.

"How high was it?" Jack queried.

"I don't know…maybe seventy feet" Boone answered, as Jack's eyes widened.

"What? What is that look for?" Boone panicked, as Kate came back with a few towels and a bowl of water.

"Oh my God, …what happened to Kali?" Hurley asked as a crowd began to surround them.

"What was that look for Jack?!" Boone insisted as Kate held a towel to the back of Kali's head.

"It means…it means I think she's going to die" Jack admitted, as everyone went quiet around them.

"Kate, I need you to get Sawyer," Jack told her.

"What?" Kate frowned.

"She'd want him to be here, and you know it. Sun take over" Jack ordered, as he saw Sun hovering in the background.

"Bring any of his alcohol, rubbing, scotch…run, Kate!" Jack exclaimed as Kate set off out of the camp.

"This is my fault…you can't let her die, Jack. Please!" Boone begged.

"I think her neck's broken, Boone. With the amount of blood coming from her head…I don't see how she can survive this" Jack explained, as Boone shook his head.

"You need to leave" Jack informed Boone, who gave him an incredulous look.

"What?" Boone retorted.

"When Sawyer gets here, if she doesn't make it…he'll kill you, Boone" Jack warned, as Boone knew he was right.

* * *

Kate tried to stop the tears welling in her eyes when she finally made it to the beach and began to look for Sawyer. She spotted him instantly, sitting with Michael and Walt, looking like he didn't have a care in the world.

"Sawyer! It's Kali…she's hurt. Bad" Kate cried as she ran up to them.

"What?! Where is she?" Sawyer questioned, standing up quickly.

"At the caves. We think she…" Kate trailed off, as Sawyer was already beginning to run towards the jungle.

Sawyer ran as fast as he could through the thick jungle, not caring as he was cut by the branches and bushes that he pushed through. He barely even felt them. His mind was only on one thing. Kali. He should have gone looking for her earlier. She seemed to just vanish after laughing at his glasses, but he hadn't thought much of it. Why hadn't he stayed with her?

Meanwhile, at the caves, Jack was still arguing with Boone, knowing soon enough they would have a bloodbath on their hands if Boone didn't leave.

"Jack…I don't think she's breathing" Sun gasped, as she saw Kali's chest had stopped moving.

Jack whipped his head around and saw that she was right, and instantly began to perform CPR on Kali, a desperate look in his eyes.

"Come on, Kali. Come on" Jack croaked, as he continued to press on her chest.

Boone began to sob, as he placed a hand over his mouth and turned away. He couldn't watch her die.

* * *

Sawyer felt all the air leave his lungs as he arrived at the caves and saw everyone crowded around Jack…and a body.

"Kali?" He cried as he rushed forward, pushing past the onlookers.

Sawyer heard a whimper as he hovered over her body, as it took him a moment to realise the sound had come from himself. He looked up at Jack, who had tears running down his face, as he shook his head.

"I'm sorry…I tried, but…her heart stopped…she's lost too much blood…" Jack trailed off.

"No…no!" Sawyer yelled, as he pushed Jack away, and placed his hands on the centre of her chest.

"Sawyer, she's gone" Jack sighed, as Sawyer began to perform CPR.

"No, she's not" Sawyer shook his head, pressing down roughly.

After thirty compressions, he pulled her head back and bent down to breathe air into her lungs twice. Instantly, he went back to pressing on her chest, praying he was doing enough.

"It's too late," Jack said, raising his hand to pull Sawyer away, as he shrugged him off.

"I am not losing her!" Sawyer insisted, as he continued the compressions.

"Come on, Kali. Wake up" Sawyer pleaded, as he leant down and pressed his lips back to hers, but still, she wouldn't breathe.

"Sawyer, stop!" Jack exclaimed as he heard a snap come from Kali's body as Sawyer started the chest compressions again.

"Don't you leave me. Don't you do that" Sawyer sobbed, as a tear ran down his cheek.

"You're a fighter, Kali. So wake up and fight!" He cried as he brought his fist down roughly onto her chest, barely having any strength left.

"Please, blue eyes…I need you" Sawyer mumbled, as he bent down and began the rescue breaths again.

His eyes widened as he felt a sharp inhale against his lips and pulled back to see Kali's chest shakily rising and falling.

"Kali! Hey, can you hear me?" Sawyer exclaimed, placing his hands on either side of her face.

"You…you did it" Jack gaped, barely able to believe it.

"She's not waking up" Sawyer frowned, stroking her cheek with his thumb.

"She's alive. That's the main thing" Jack told him, placing his hand on Sawyer's shoulder.

"Her head's not bleeding anymore" Sun pointed out, as Jack came to stand at the top of her body.

"Help me turn her over" Jack announced, as Sawyer carefully pulled her towards his chest.

Jack frowned as he saw that not only had the bleeding from her head wound stopped, but the bruises on her spine had seemed to disappear. He also noticed how her neck seemed to be more rigid now.

"She'll be okay now?" Sawyer questioned, brushing a tear from his eyes.

"I hope so" Jack mumbled.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! So it looks like Boone and Kali are both alive for now, I wonder how the island will react to this change? We all know that death has a funny way of catching up to people on the island. Sorry, this chapter took so long to come out, but I'm starting a new job tomorrow, so updates will be more sporadic. Please leave a review:)

DrLexieSloan: They are almost too cute, haha. I'm glad you liked the chapter:) You're so right, I hadn't even realised that!

farrahjohnson21: I think you're going to have to fight a lot of people to keep Kali safe, haha. Sawyer saved her life in this chapter, so I think he's definitely proved his worth to her now.

scripturient3201: Thank you so much:) I appreciate it a lot when people compliment my writing and my characters. I think Sayid and Kali are very similar in some ways so they're relationship will be fun to develop. Like you said though, Sawyer and Kali are definitely the best relationship, haha.

carmelitajones: Aw, thank you so much! It's possible, but we'll have to wait and see. I hope you liked this chapter:)

paulavara140: Thank you! I'm really glad you're enjoying it:)


	29. I Need You Too

Hours later and there had still been no change in Kali. Her condition wasn't worsening but it wasn't getting better either. Sawyer hadn't left her side for a second, his larger hand holding on tightly to her smaller one. Jack had stayed too, feeling guilty that he had all but given up on her before Sawyer arrived. He was the first to notice when Boone returned, his eyes going wide as he rushed to get in between Boone and Sawyer.

"How is she?" Boone queried, as he approached them.

"Boone, you need to leave-" Jack began, but was cut off as Sawyer shoved past him and sent a hard punch Boone's way.

The younger man fell onto his back from the impact, as a crowd quickly surrounded the group. Jack grabbed onto Sawyer's shoulder's, as he was joined by Hurley, who gave some much-needed extra muscle. Jack had never seen Sawyer so mad. There was a murderous rage in his eyes.

"I'll kill you; I swear to God!" Sawyer growled, straining against the men's grip.

"I never meant for her to get hurt" Boone cried.

"She almost died because of you! Look at her!" Sawyer yelled, ushering to Kali's body behind him.

They could see Boone's eyes began to well with tears as he looked at her pale form, the harshness of her breath, and the blood that still coated some parts of her face.

"I'm sorry…" Boone sobbed as he pushed himself up.

"I don't care" Sawyer spat back.

"Will she…is she okay now?" Boone questioned Jack, who stared back at him with anger.

"I don't know. There's no way for me to tell what's happening inside her body right now" Jack admitted.

"Get out of here," Sawyer told him, as he felt Jack and Hurley's grip on him lighten.

"Can I just-" Boone began, but Sawyer cut him off.

"Get out!" Sawyer shouted, suddenly lunging for him.

He grabbed onto Boone's shirt, who flinched, ready for the beating of his life. This never came as both men heard a familiar sound from a few metres away.

"Sawyer?" Kali croaked, turning her head to the side to face him.

Sawyer whipped his head around instantly and rushed towards her side, a look of amazement on his face. His anger seeped away immediately, the only thing on his mind now was the girl in front of him.

"Kali?" Sawyer grinned, brushing some hair away from her face.

"What…what's going on?" Kali frowned, as she tried to sit up, but let out a cry of pain.

"Hey, hey. Don't try to move. Doc?" Sawyer called over to Jack, who had been in too much shock to move.

"How're you feeling? Where's the pain?" Jack inquired, running to her other side.

"My head's banging" Kali cringed, her hand flying to the back of her head.

"Anywhere else? Does anything feel broken?" Jack insisted, as Kali tried moving her limbs.

"It feels like I've been run over by a truck…but no. Everything's still moving" Kali stated, grimacing in pain.

"You need painkillers" Jack muttered, as he walked over to the makeshift drug cabinet.

"I've got some codeine?" Jack suggested as Kali groaned.

"That's all you've got?" Sawyer accused, hating seeing Kali in any pain.

"What do you remember?" Jack questioned, as he walked back over to her with the tablet and water.

"There was a plane…and then I was falling…is Boone alright?" Kali asked as Sawyer helped to slowly sit her upright.

"Unfortunately," Sawyer grumbled, turning to where he expected Boone to be.

He was a little surprised when the younger man was nowhere to be seen. It seemed like he had run off again. Good choice, Sawyer thought to himself. He was distracted when Kali suddenly lurched forward and started coughing violently. His forehead wrinkled when he saw she had coughed up a small amount of blood and looked to Jack with worry in his eyes.

"Kali? Are you okay?" Jack questioned, as he crouched down to her level.

"My heart feels like it's going to pump out of my chest," Kali told him, as he raised his arm out to check her pulse.

"You don't look so good, dude" Hurley pointed out, noticing Kali's clammy skin.

"Your pulse is too fast" Jack muttered, trying to remain calm, but clearly fearing that Kali's heart could stop again.

"What's wrong with her?" Sawyer questioned, as Kali's eyes began to flutter shut.

"She's lost too much blood…she needs a transfusion" Jack realised.

"A blood transfusion? I don't know if you've realised Doc, but we're in the middle of the freaking jungle" Sawyer exclaimed.

"I know, okay! But it doesn't change the facts. Kali…hey! Kali, you need to stay awake. What blood type are you?" Jack insisted.

"A…A negative" Kali replied, quietly.

"Okay. Sun, I need you to find me something that we can use as a needle. Charlie, I need you to ask everyone in the camp what their blood type is-" Jack started, but Sawyer cut him off.

"No need, Doc. You've got a ready and willing A negative blood type right here" Sawyer announced.

"You're sure you're A negative?" Jack tried to clarify.

"I donate blood" Sawyer confessed, as everyone looked at him with shock.

"Hey, I'm not a complete ass, alright?" Sawyer shrugged.

"Okay, stay with her. Keep her talking. I'll find what we need" Jack nodded, as he and Sun rushed off.

"How're you doing, blue eyes?" Sawyer questioned, as he came to sit behind her so that she was pressed against his chest.

"I'm tired" Kali retorted, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I know, but you've got to stay awake" Sawyer insisted, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"Why do you donate blood?" Kali frowned.

"You know what happened to my mother…if she had gotten a blood transfusion, she might have lived. But there wasn't any of her blood type available. So…I don't know, I guess I wanted to give someone else's' mother a chance" Sawyer explained, as Kali turned to look at him.

"See?" Kali mumbled.

"What?" Sawyer frowned.

"I always said you were a good guy" Kali smiled, as Sawyer shared the expression.

"You know sweet-talking me ain't gonna' make me forget how stupid you were today. I'm pissed" Sawyer told her.

"Sorry…" Kali mumbled, sleepily.

"I'll find a way for you to make it up to me" Sawyer smirked, jostling her a little to keep her awake.

"Kali? C'mon, you've got to stay awake" Sawyer insisted.

"I'm so tired" Kali replied, her eyes shut.

"Hey, none of that. You don't fall asleep, you hear me?" Sawyer told her, as he touched her cheek lightly with her other hand.

"Where's my mum?" Kali questioned, drowsily.

This question threw Sawyer, as he didn't know what to tell her. She was clearly becoming confused; did he really want to upset her by telling her that her mother was dead?

"She'll be coming soon. You just hold on a little longer" Sawyer exclaimed, as he stroked her cheek.

* * *

Kali suddenly woke up a few hours later, her head still hurting, but the mind fog from before was gone. She looked to her side and saw Sawyer was sleeping next to her, his head near her thigh. She looked up and noticed the sun was beginning to fade. Kali felt an odd sensation in her arm and held it up to see a makeshift needle and tubing running from her arm to Sawyer's.

"Hey, dimples. Wake up" Kali exclaimed, running her hand through his hair lightly.

Sawyer woke up instantly, his eyes darting around as he started to remember what had happened. His eyes softened when he saw Kali looking at him, his shoulders sagging in relief.

"How're you feeling?" Sawyer inquired.

"Better. Are you okay?" Kali inquired, taking in Sawyer's sweaty appearance.

"Don't worry about me" Sawyer shook his head, amazed that Kali was still thinking about him after all she had been through.

"That's kind of what friends do; you know?" Kali teased.

"Yeah, well I'm not exactly experienced in the friend's department" Sawyer pointed out.

"That's because you're a dick" Kali shrugged, as Sawyer scoffed.

"Oh, you definitely back alright" Sawyer mumbled, as she nudged his shoulder lightly.

"Does it hurt?" Kali asked, indicating to the needle when she saw how Sawyer flinched.

"Not really" Sawyer replied, as Kali bit her lip, feeling guilty.

"That's not a no. We can stop it-" Kali began, but he cut her off.

"Stop worrying about me so much. You're the one who decided to play the hero of the hour" Sawyer insisted.

"I couldn't let him die, Sawyer" Kali sighed.

"You don't have to save everyone. You can't" Sawyer told her, as she seemed to mull over what he had said.

"Doesn't mean I shouldn't try" Kali retorted, as Sawyer groaned, knowing he wasn't going to win the argument.

"I'm not asking you to change who you are…I just want you safe" Sawyer went on, as their eyes met.

"I heard what you said…the end of it at least" Kali told him, as Sawyer seemed at a loss with what to say.

"I need you too" Kali admitted, a moment later.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere" Sawyer stated, making Kali smile brightly.

"Where's Jack?" Kali inquired, having a feeling that he been there recently.

"Jin came running in a little while ago. Something about Claire's baby" Sawyer informed Kali, catching her attention.

"Is she okay?" Kali frowned as he nodded.

"Sounds like she's all but ready to pop" Sawyer explained.

"Finally, some good news, huh?" Kali suggested.

"A little sprog that does nothing but cry and poop? Yeah, sounds wonderful" Sawyer scoffed.

"Alright, Mr Grumpy. I'll bet you'll be gushing over the kid when it's born" Kali stated, rubbing her chest lightly as it had suddenly begun to feel tight.

"You okay?" Sawyer frowned, noticing the grimace on her face.

"Yeah…thank you. I don't think I said it before. For saving my life" Kali told him.

"Don't mention it" Sawyer shrugged.

"I'm serious. You've saved my life, like twice today. I won't forget it" Kali went on, as she reached over to place her hand over his.

"I was just returning the favour" Sawyer stated, as she frowned.

"The first day we met you saved my life, remember? You dragged me out of the plane, got me breathing again. I'd be long dead if it wasn't for you, blue eyes" Sawyer pointed out, as he squeezed her hand lightly.

"I guess this makes us even" Kali smiled, as Sawyer returned the gesture.

His eyes lowered when he suddenly felt Kali's hand begin to shake and saw that a small tremor had begun in her arm. Sawyer looked back up to her face and noticed that she seemed a lot sweatier than before.

"Kali? Hey, what's wrong?" Sawyer inquired, as Kali's hand flew to her chest, her eyes darting around.

"I don't feel good" Kali mumbled, her breathing getting faster.

"Doc? Doc!" Sawyer shouted, loudly.

Jack came running past the screens that they had put up to give the pair some privacy, clear worry in his eyes when he saw Kali clutching her chest.

"What's happened?" Jack frowned, as he crouched beside the pair.

"I feel like I can't breathe" Kali panicked.

"You might be having an adverse reaction to the blood transfusion" Jack realised, as Kali gulped nervously.

"What do we do?" Sawyer queried, starting to freak out.

"Stop the transfusion" Jack replied, as he went to take out the needle from Sawyer's arm.

"Wait, you said she needed this transfusion. That she's lost too much blood" Sawyer pointed out.

"Her body might be rejecting the blood, which is the bigger problem right now" Jack explained, as he took the needle out of Kali's arm first.

"Jack? C'mon, we need to get going" Charlie announced, as he and Jin came rushing in.

"I've told you everything you need to know. You should leave now before it gets too dark" Jack suggested, as he touched Kali's forehead trying to tell if she had a temperature.

"What? You're not coming?!" Charlie gaped.

"Kali might be having an allergic reaction to the transfusion. I can't leave" Jack insisted, with a shake of his head.

"What about Claire? What about the baby?" Charlie pointed out.

"Tell Kate she's going to have to deliver the baby" Jack announced, as Charlie looked at him dumbfoundedly.

"No…no, you should go" Kali insisted, brushing his hands away from her.

"I think you might be going into shock. I can't leave you" Jack retorted.

"Kate has next to no medical training. Claire and her baby are more important" Kali told him.

"I've already let you down once today. I'm not doing it again!" Jack exclaimed, referring to how he had given up CPR.

"But what if something goes wrong with the birth..." Charlie trailed off.

"You can do this, Charlie. Take Jin with you" Jack told him.

"Take care of her" Charlie replied, indicting to Kali, as Jack nodded.

* * *

"Did I do something wrong?" Sawyer whispered to Jack, who was checking Kali's pulse, a little later.

"What?" Jack frowned, surprised by the guilt in Sawyer's voice.

"My blood has made her worse. I've made her worse" Sawyer stated.

"It's not your fault. Besides, she's stabilising now. Quicker than I would have thought actually" Jack admitted.

"Exactly. So, you can go to Claire now" Kali insisted, as the two men rolled their eyes.

Kali had been arguing nonstop for Jack to go ever since Charlie and Jin left. She was far more worried about the pregnant woman than she was for her own life.

"Soon. I just need…are you itchy?" Jack questioned, noticing her Kali was scratching her arm.

"Yeah, I think it must be a bug bite or something" Kali shrugged, as Jack took a closer look at her arm.

"That's not a bug bite…it looks like a needle puncture" Jack frowned, looking closer at her arm.

"What?" Kali gaped, confused.

"I didn't see you give her an injection" Sawyer exclaimed, as he stood up to stand beside the other side of Kali.

"I didn't-" Jack cut himself off, as they heard a crunch underneath Sawyer's foot.

Jack quickly rushed to crouch beside Sawyer and was surprised to find a syringe on the floor, with a needle attached. A small amount of liquid was now leaking from the syringe.

"This isn't ours" Jack realised, as Kali gulped.

"You mean…the other people on this island? They injected me with something?" Kali panicked, worried about what it might have been.

"Shortness of breath, sweating, anxiety, fast pulse rate…adrenaline! They must have injected you with adrenaline" Jack explained.

"Why the hell would they do that?" Sawyer inquired, angry at the thought of the Others possibly hurting Kali.

"They didn't want you to go to Claire" Kali suggested, as they all shared a worried look.

* * *

"We have a problem" Benjamin Linus announced, as he closed the cabin door, engulfing the room completely in darkness.

"Boone Carlyle is still alive. The girl…she saved him" Ben explained, straining his eyes towards where he knew the armchair would be.

"What of the rest?" A male voice questioned.

"Locke feels some guilt over the incident, but without Boone's death…it won't last. The same with Jack Shepard. We were able to stop him from getting to the birth. But too much has changed" Ben went on.

"The girl is still alive?" The voice inquired.

"Yes…she fell from over seventy feet. Lost a lot of blood but she'll live. It almost seems too good to be true" Ben suggested.

"She was never supposed to come to the island" The voice pointed out.

"I could…remove her?" Ben offered, as he heard the chair creak.

"No. It's too late for that. We need to watch her closely" The voice insisted, as Ben nodded.

"What should I do about Boone Carlyle?" Ben asked.

"Correct the problem" The voice replied, as Ben began to make his way to the front door.

"Someone led her to Boone and Locke. Do you think it could have been…" Ben trailed off, not sure if he wanted to finish the sentence.

"Stay on task, Ben" The voice insisted, as Ben nodded, reluctantly.

* * *

Kali gasped as she saw Claire slowly making her way towards her, a bundle in her arms, and Charlie following closely behind with a proud smile on his face. Claire laughed as Kali all but squealed when she caught sight of her new-born baby.

"Oh my god, he's so cute" Kali gushed, reaching out and tickling his little cheek.

"How're you feeling?" Claire inquired, as she sat beside her.

"Better" Kali told her, making Claire smile.

"I'm glad. I was so worried when I heard what happened" Claire confessed.

"Really?" Kali questioned.

"Yeah. We're friends, right?" Claire questioned, as Kali nodded happily.

"Only because I want to get my hands on this cutie, but still" Kali teased, making Claire laugh.

"I'm sorry about before, Kali. I was so worried about Claire that I wasn't thinking about you-" Charlie began, but Kali cut him off.

"It's fine, Charlie. You don't need to say sorry" Kali insisted.

"And you're sure you're alright now?" Charlie queried.

"I'm sure. Sawyer wouldn't have left me even for a second if I wasn't" Kali stated, as a teasing grin grew on Charlie's face.

"True. He's been acting like your guard dog all day" Charlie pointed out, as Kali shook her head fondly.

"Do you want to hold him?" Claire asked, making Kali's eyes widen.

"Oh…I'm not sure…I don't think I've ever actually held a baby" Kali admitted.

"I trust you," Claire told her, as Kali bit her lip.

"He'll probably start crying" Kali pointed out, as Claire shook her head.

"He's just a baby, Kali. He won't bite" Claire insisted, as she carefully began placing him into Kali's arms.

"Just make sure to support his head" Claire added, stroking his hair lightly, as he settled in Kali's lap.

"He's so small" Kali mumbled, holding him close to her.

"He didn't feel that way when he was coming out" Claire stated, making Kali giggled.

Kali's eyes snapped up as she heard someone else approach them, and found it was a familiar blond. Sawyer's eyes softened as he saw her with the baby in his arms, as he couldn't stop a genuine smile spreading across his face. Kali with a baby seemed right somehow. He was glad they were both alright.

* * *

Boone had spent the night camping deeper in the forest, not wanting to be around anyone. He had become enemy number one in the camp now after what happened to Kali. Sawyer was right. It was his fault. But not only his.

"Where were you?" Boone accused, as he finally caught up with Locke, who he had been tracking for over an hour.

"Excuse me?" Locke retorted, turning around.

"I needed you today, Locke. You just disappeared" Boone went on, making Locke sigh.

"I was confused, after what happened to Kali…I needed to sort my head out" Locke confessed.

"What does that mean?" Boone frowned.

"She was dead, Boone. I felt her pulse. It wasn't there" Locke insisted, as Boone scoffed.

"Her pulse was weak, you probably just-" Boone began but Locke cut him off.

"No! I know what I saw. She was dead. Then she wasn't. I want to know why" Locke went on.

"Jesus, you're crazy. How did I not see how crazy you are?" Boone shook his head, as he went to turn away.

Boone's eyes widened when he came face to face with a group of men that must have quietly snuck upon him. The next second, the man in front was slamming the handle of his gun onto Boone's head, knocking him out. Locke took a step forward, wanting to help his friend, but the man then raised the gun towards him.

"Don't try it, old man" He warned, as he passed Boone's body to the other men.

"Why are you doing this?!" Locke exclaimed as he watched helplessly as Boone was dragged away.

"We're putting things back how they should be," The man told him, as he began to back away, never lowering his gun until Locke lost sight of him.

* * *

When Boone woke up next he was surrounded by the same men, who all remained silent, but realised he was now sitting on top of a bed. He touched his head which was stinging painfully and found a bandage where he had been hit. The group took a step back as another shorter man approached him, coming to sit by his bedside.

"Hello Boone. My name is Ben. You don't know me but I know you. I think we can help each other greatly" The man informed him.

"Why the hell would I help you?" Boone scoffed.

"Because I am the only person who can get you off this island" Ben announced, as Boone's mouth hung open in shock.

"Are you ready to make a deal?" Ben offered, holding out his hand.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Sorry, it's taken so long to come out, but life has been super busy. This is certainly not the end for Boone, but we won't be seeing his character for a little while. I wonder what Ben has in store for him. Please leave a review:)

scripturient3201: Aw, I'm really glad you liked the last chapter, it was very intense!

carmelitajones: Haha, thank you:) Sorry it's taken so long for this chapter to come out, but hopefully you'll enjoy it!

farrahjohnson21: I like to keep my readers on their toes, haha.

DrLexieSloan: I'm yet to kill one of my OC's yet...permanently, haha. Boone will have a very interesting storyline in the future, as he's going to be very involved with one character in particular. Sawyer has been so cute recently, hopefully, he doesn't screw it all up! Aw, thank you so much:) I'm really glad I can make you feel so much.

kz4valentina: Thank you! It's good to hear you're still finding the story exciting, I hope you enjoy this chapter:)


	30. The Aftermath

The news of Boone's disappearance spread quickly around the camp, as everyone looked to Jack for leadership. However, Jack was far more interested in taking his anger out in Locke, who had once again disappeared after a brief conversation telling him that the others had taken Boone. Shannon had taken the news that her stepbrother had been kidnapped badly, as she feared the worst. Kali couldn't help but feel guilty, knowing the only reason Boone hadn't been at the camp was because of her. She wished that she could have talked to him, told him that it wasn't his fault. Now he was gone. Hurley had suggested they do a vigil for Boone, which Kali had vehemently disagreed with, feeling like everyone had already given up on Boone. Still, she came just as every other islander did to the vigil. She stood next to Sawyer as the group formed into a circle, leaning on him for support. Kali was surprised to see the blond sniffling, as he ran his hand through his hair. Sawyer might not have been Boone's biggest fan, but he couldn't stop thinking what the Other's could be doing to him. Kali on the other hand, was trying to think of anything else. If she allowed herself to think about how Boone could be getting tortured, she'd never stop crying. Of course, after everything Kali had been through, denial was her default setting.

"Do you want to…want to say something, Shannon?" Jack questioned, looking like he hadn't slept for days.

"No" Shannon shook her head, quickly.

"I didn't know Boone very well, and for that I'm sorry. On our sixth day here, a woman named Joanna died. She drowned. And Boone was the first one into the water. I didn't know him, but I'll remember his courage" Sayid announced, feeling as though someone needed to say something.

Kali couldn't help but cringe at his words. Boone wasn't dead. She could feel that he was still alive. She just couldn't understand why the Others wanted him.

"It was my fault" A voice boomed from behind them, as Kali's eyes widened when she turned to see it was none other than John Locke.

She couldn't believe that Locke had the gall to turn up at the vigil, as everyone knew if it wasn't for him, Boone would still be there. Kali felt sick when she saw blood splattered over Locke's shirt and realised it must have been her own. Sawyer had his hand on her shoulder, as Kali wasn't sure it was meant in a comforting gesture or just a way to distract Sawyer from attacking Locke. She could see fury grow in Jack's eyes as the man continued to talk.

"We found a plane, a Beechcraft, in the jungle. It was lodged in the canopy. I would have gone up, but my leg was hurt, so he…There was a radio inside, and he thought he could…his weight must have made the plane shift and it fell and… it happened because he was trying to help us. He was a hero. And then…it's my fault. I wanted to go after him when the Others took him but there was too many. You…you have to believe me, I couldn't have saved him" Locke stuttered, as Kali was happy to see there was a guilty tone in his voice.

Nobody said anything for a few moments. Kali was surprised to find she believed what Locke was saying, but it still didn't change the facts. If it wasn't for Locke, Boone would have still been with them.

"Where were you? Where the hell were you, you son of a bitch? What did you do to him?" Jack screamed as he stormed towards the older man.

Kali's mouth dropped open as she watched Jack grab Locke by the throat and threw him into the sand, looking like he was all but ready to kill him. Sawyer was the first to react, rushing forward and grabbing one of Jack's flailing arms. Charlie quickly joined him, followed by Kate who had never seen Jack so angry. He continued to fight against them for a few seconds, before suddenly falling to his knees, prompting Kali to hobble forward.

"Jack!" Kate cried, crouching beside him.

"Get him some water!" Sawyer yelled at the rest of the group; concern clear on his face.

"Jack? You okay?" Kali questioned, flopping beside him, placing her hand on his back.

"Y-yeah…I'm…I'm fine" Jack nodded, trying to push himself up.

"Bullshit. C'mon, we need to get him to a bed. Now" Kali announced, placing her hand on his forehead when she saw how much he was sweating.

"What's wrong with him?" Kate panicked.

"Fatigue. He needs rest" Kali replied, as Sawyer and Charlie helped to pick Jack up.

"I don't need rest. I need to find out what this bastard knows!" Jack exclaimed, pointing towards Locke.

"Yeah, after you get some sleep" Kali insisted.

"She's right, Doc. Take a nap, you're not yourself when your cranky" Sawyer stated, as Kali had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing.

* * *

Kali missed Boone. More than she was expecting to. There was something so optimistic about Boone's personality, that without him it was like a dark cloud was shadowing the island. She knew that she wasn't the only one missing Boone. Kali found Shannon sitting on the beach a little further away from the rest of the group and was shocked to see Locke beside her.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kali announced, marching over to the pair.

"I just wanted to apologise-" Locke began, but Kali quickly cut him off.

"For what? Sending him on a suicidal mission that almost got him, and I killed? Or how about the fact that you let the Others kidnap him?" Kali spat out, as Locke pushed himself up from where he had been sitting.

"You're angry" Locke nodded, in an understanding way.

"I'm pissed. He trusted you and you let him down. And I won't forgive you for that" Kali explained, as Locke nodded again, only adding to Kali's annoyance.

"You seem well" Locke stated, making Kali frown.

"What, are you accusing me of faking almost dying now?" Kali scoffed.

"Stop! Just stop it!" Shannon shouted suddenly, standing up and shoving past Locke.

"Stay away from her" Kali warned Locke, as she started rushing after the angry blonde.

"Shannon! Hey, wait up a minute!" Kali panted, her legs aching, not being able to keep up with Shannon's pace.

"Look. Just because you and Boone had a thing together doesn't mean you have some…obligation to look out for me" Shannon explained, whipping her head around.

"He'd want me to make sure you didn't do anything stupid. Is that something that I should be worried about?" Kali asked, crossing her arms.

"If I say no will you leave me alone?" Shannon exclaimed.

"…Probably not" Kali shrugged, making Shannon roll her eyes.

"When Boone comes back, he's not going to be happy if he hears that you've been banished from the group for trying to kill Locke" Kali suggested, a moment later.

"Who says I'm going to kill him?" Shannon retorted.

"Uh, your face. You're angry. Murderously angry" Kali clarified, as Shannon scoffed.

"Well you don't have to worry about me killing Locke…I'm not going to be the one doing it" Shannon informed her, before turning on her heel and rushing away.

"Wait, what…Shannon! Slow down…oh for God's sake" Kali grumbled, giving up after a few seconds of chasing her.

Her head felt like it was going to explode, as she was still weak from all the blood loss. She watched as the blonde disappeared into the treeline. Shannon was not going to make things easy for her.

* * *

Kali had decided to take her own advice and went to sleep in her and Sawyer's tent for a few hours. When she woke up, she found a blanket covering herself that she was sure had been on the other side of the tent. She smiled when she realised Sawyer must have been the one to place it over her. The next moment, the smile quickly fell off her face as she felt pain shooting down her back. Kali had been in almost constant pain ever since she had woken up from the fall but didn't want to bring it up. It would only make people worry, and they didn't have enough analgesia to waste. Rubbing her eyes, she exited the tent and quickly noticed Kate and Jack resting under some tarp, the latter of which seemed to be fast asleep. Slowly, she made her way over to them, careful not to make too many big movements so as not to increase her pain.

"How's sleeping beauty?" Kali smiled, as she came to stand by the pair.

"Better, I think. His colours coming back" Kate told her, as Kali came to sit beside Jack.

As if on cue, Jack began to stir, bringing his hand up to his head. He pushed himself into a sitting position as he looked around his surroundings.

"What…what happened?" Jack frowned.

"Kate kissed you back to the world of the living" Kali teased, watching as Kate shook her head, fondly.

"Funny, isn't that what Sawyer did for you yesterday?" Jack replied as Kali's mouth dropped open.

"Good one, Jack" Kate giggled, as Jack shared the amused expression.

Kali watched as Jack's face suddenly turned into horror when he felt around his neck, realising that the key he hung around his neck was no longer there.

"Oh shit…Shannon…" Kali trailed off, as Jack's eyes snapped up to hers.

"What?" Kate frowned.

"The key to the gun case is gone" Jack announced, as he pushed himself upright and started storming off.

"Maybe it fell off this morning" Kate stated, rushing to catch up with him.

"It didn't fall off" Jack shook his head, as Kali spotted Sayid, much to her relief.

"Sayid!" Kali called over to him, as he approached them, with confusion written on his face.

"What's going on?" Sayid frowned.

"Did you take the key to the gun case?" Kali blurted out, watching as Sayid shook his head vehemently.

"Where's Shannon?" Jack insisted, as Sayid's eyes widened.

"She stormed off…after I told her I wouldn't kill Locke" Sayid confessed, as they all shared worried looks.

After almost twenty minutes of running through the jungle in torrential rain, they were able to find Shannon. The blonde had a gun aimed at Locke who was kneeling on the ground and seemed relieved when he saw Sayid approaching. Kali stumbled into the clearing a few seconds later, the pain in her back even more intense after trying to keep up with Sayid.

"Shannon! What are you doing?" Sayid exclaimed as Shannon kept her hands gripped on the gun.

"He did it. I know it" Shannon replied.

"You're not thinking rationally…you've never fired a gun before-" Sayid was cut off, as Shannon raised the gun to the left, firing a bullet.

"Jesus, careful where you point that thing!" Kali yelled, flinching at the sound.

"Shannon, you don't want to do this!" Sayid insisted as Shannon's eyes flitted over to him.

"Yes, I do" She retorted.

"If you do it, you can never take it back," Sayid told her, as Locke looked at her with pleading eyes.

"He's right, Shannon. This isn't what Boone would want. You know that" Kali pointed out.

"It doesn't matter what he'd want now…he's dead!" Shannon cried, tears welling in his eyes.

"No! He's not. I'll help you get him back. I swear it. Just put the gun down" Kali pleaded, hearing Kate and Jack arrive behind her.

"Stay back!" Shannon warned, her finger on the trigger.

"Shannon…" Jack trailed off, not sure what to say.

"Jack, you told me he was a liar" Shannon exclaimed, her hands beginning to shake.

"Shannon, wait!" Kali shouted, as she could see the girl was psyching herself up to take the shot.

Kali gasped as Sayid lunged forward at the last moment, pushing Shannon to the floor as the gun went off. For a tense moment, no one was sure whether Locke had been shot, but much to everyone's relief, the older man stirred a few seconds later.

"No…no!" Shannon screamed, pushing Sayid away from her.

Kali brushed a hand through her hair, as she saw blood trickling down the side of Locke's face. They had almost been too late. She watched as Shannon shoved past Sayid, not listening to his pleas.

"I'm sorry" Sayid sobbed, his voice full of emotion.

"Stay away!" Shannon yelled, running into the jungle, with Kate following not far behind.

Sayid flinched slightly when he felt Kali's hand on his shoulder, who was giving him a sad look.

"You did the right thing" She told him, as he nodded.

"She'll forgive you" Kali stated, a moment later.

"I'm not so sure" Sayid mumbled, looking towards the ground.

"Just don't give up on her. She'll come around" Kali insisted, squeezing his shoulder, before letting go.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Sayid frowned.

"Because I can see you really like her. And she needs someone right now. Go after her" Kali explained, watching as Sayid took her advice, and began chasing after his lover.

* * *

"Hey pretty boy, what're you doing?" Kali inquired, walking towards Sawyer, who was wearing his glasses, and seemed to be reading to Charlie and Claire's baby.

"Sh!" Charlie exclaimed, placing his finger against his lips.

"Sh to you too" Kali grumbled, lowering herself to sit on a suitcase beside Sawyer's legs.

"Einstein here figures that the baby likes my voice" Sawyer informed her, as right on cue, the baby began to wail.

"Must be the southern charm" Kali grinned, as Sawyer huffed out a laugh.

"Why's your hair all wet?" Sawyer questioned, brushing her soaked hair behind her ear.

"Never mind that. You better start reading before Charlie starts poking you" Kali told him.

"He's not gonna-ow!" Sawyer cried, when Charlie picked up a nearby stick and started poking Sawyer in his chest.

Kali giggled as Sawyer shook his head and began reading what sounded like a car manual again. Sawyer's voice quickly soothed Claire's baby, who started to drift off into a light sleep much to an exhausted Charlie's relief. Sawyer rested his elbow on Kali's thigh as he continued to read the manual, a content expression on his face. For the first time that day, Kali felt optimistic for the future. She knew she would see Boone again.

* * *

Kali's mood was quickly ruined the next day when Artz announced that if they didn't leave the island on the raft as soon as possible, they'd have to wait months for another chance. Kali had been hoping that they'd have time to find Boone before leaving on the raft. She had promised Shannon that she help to look for him. How could she just leave now?

"I can't go" Kali announced, while she and Sawyer were having lunch that afternoon.

"What?" Sawyer frowned, not understanding what she meant.

"I can't leave on the raft. Not with Boone still missing" Kali clarified.

"If he's still alive-" Sawyer began, as Kali cut him off.

"He is" She insisted, as Sawyer nodded quickly.

"Then they'll find him. He wouldn't want you to miss your one chance in getting off this damn island" Sawyer pointed out.

"Someone led me to find him before…maybe it'll happen again. I'm not just going to abandon him" Kali insisted, making Sawyer sigh.

"Have you forgotten why you wanted to get on that raft in the first place? There's someone out there who wants to hurt you" Sawyer told her.

"Sawyer, you're not going to change my mind" Kali stated.

"Okay, fine. Guess I'll stay too then" Sawyer shrugged.

"What?" Kali gaped, shocked by his comment.

"I'm not leaving without you. It's as simple as that" Sawyer clarified.

"You need to leave; you'll be arrested when the rescue party turns up" Kali exclaimed.

"The last time I left you, you almost died. I'm not doing that again" Sawyer informed her, looking into her blue eyes intensely.

"You'd really give up your freedom just to stay with me?" She questioned, as Sawyer nodded slowly.

"I'm not worth it" Kali told him, looking away from his gaze.

"Yes, you are" Sawyer mumbled, making her lips twitched into a smile.

"You're a stubborn son of a bitch" Kali sighed, as Sawyer huffed out a laugh.

"Does that mean you'll come on the raft?" Sawyer asked as Kali thought about this for a moment.

"If you promise me, we'll get help for him. We won't forget about him" Kali exclaimed.

"You have my word, blue eyes" Sawyer replied, cupping her cheek and turning her to look at him.

"Are you two just about done? We could use your help finishing up the raft…if you still want your spots that is!" Michael called over to the pair, as Sawyer quickly pulled his hand away.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sawyer frowned, watching Michael pull a large board of metal towards the raft.

"I'm just saying there are plenty of people just waiting for your spots" Michael informed them, as Kali glared at him.

"Hey, I've been working on this with you since the beginning. I'm sorry if my almost dying is a goddamn inconvenience?" Kali scoffed.

"He's rubbing off on you, you know that?" Michael muttered as the pair crossed their arms at the same time.

"Has someone said something to you?" Kali questioned, following him towards the raft, where Jin was finishing tying the bamboo together.

"I'm just starting to think you two are the wrong people to go on the raft" Michael admitted.

"You gonna' vote us off, Mickey?" Sawyer accused, getting no reply from Michael.

"I'm not even sure if this raft can fit five people. Maybe someone else would be a better fit" Michael went on.

"And who exactly is gonna' take our place?" Kali frowned, a bad feeling settling in her stomach.

* * *

"Look, let's not freak out about this. Maybe Michael misunderstood her" Kali announced, watching as Sawyer marched towards Kate's tent.

"Oh yeah, because 'I'm going with you' is so easy to get lost in translation" Sawyer rolled his eyes.

"Sawyer…" Kali trailed off, as the blond came to a halt in front of Kate's tent.

Kali frowned as she peaked past Sawyer to see Kate was burning something. It looked like a passport. It seemed like she was definitely planning to go on the raft.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sawyer exclaimed, as Kate turned to the pair.

"Sorry?" Kate replied, placing the passport in her backpack.

"Oh, don't give me the old golly eyes. Michael just told me you were trying to get our spot on the raft" Sawyer spat out, angrily.

"I was just asking questions. He must have misunderstood me" Kate said innocently, throwing her backpack on and going to walk away.

"I know what you're doing" Sawyer accused, as he grabbed her arm roughly.

"Hey, stop that" Kali exclaimed, as Sawyer gripped Kate's arm almost painfully.

"Just like I know why you wanted the Halliburton case so bad. The one that belonged to the US marshal…you were his prisoner" Sawyer explained, as Kate's eyes flitted to Kali's.

Kali looked between the pair with wide eyes, giving Kate an innocent look to show that she hadn't been the one to tell Sawyer. This was all Sawyer needed to know to confirm his suspicions.

"Let go of me" Kate growled, pulling her arm away from him.

"Your only chance of runnin' is getting on that raft, isn't it? If we get picked up by a ship and they come back to rescue the rest of ya'll, there's going to be a nice big asterisk next to your name" Sawyer went on.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Kate muttered, as Kali let out an exasperated sound.

"Give up the act, Kate. Look, I understand why you want to get off the island, but you can't just stab us in the back like this" Kali insisted.

"This isn't personal, Kali. I'm just looking out for myself" Kate retorted.

"Stupid me, I guess. Thinking we were friends" Kali muttered, as Kate looked at her with a guilty expression, before she masked it.

"I only need one of your spots. You can decide between you who gets left behind" Kate informed her, turning on her heel.

"Okay…now I'm pissed" Kali mumbled.

* * *

Boone had been pacing for the past ten minutes, trying to figure out a way of his last predicament. The men had thrown him in a small room, with only a chair and a table and no other exit than the door he had fallen through. Ben, the leader of the men who had kidnapped him, had given him a deal. A way to get off the island. All he had to do was work for him. Become a double agent against his own group. Against Shannon. Against Kali. Where they even looking for him? Did they even care?

"If you keep frowning like that, you're going to get wrinkles" A voice announced, on the intercom.

Boone whipped his head around the room, finding a small camera with a speaker underneath it that he hadn't even noticed before. He didn't recognise the voice.

"What do you want?" Boone called out.

"I want to offer you a better deal" The voice replied.

"Jesus, what is it with you people and deals" Boone sighed, leaning against the chair.

"Oh…no. I'm not with these idiots, mate. Give me some credit" The voice scoffed.

"Wait…I'm confused-" Boone started, but the voice cut him off.

"Jesus, you're lucky you have your looks. Listen, similar deal to the one Ben gave you. I'll send you back to your group and you work for me. Get me the information I want and do everything I ask" The voice explained.

"And why exactly should I do what you ask?" Boone questioned.

"Because if you don't…I'll kill that pretty little step-sister of yours" The voice threatened, as Boone glared towards the camera.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I've been ill this week, so apologises if I have missed any typo's.

scripturient3201: Aw, thank you! I'm so glad that you're liking the story and my characterisations. Boone's survival will be a big plot point later down the road.

carmelitajones: Thanks for the review! Kali is going to become a big problem for the Others as this story goes on, they'll probably regret not killing her!

NJvigilante: Thank you so much:) I'm really glad you like Kali's backstory as I tried to make it interesting without being too farfetched. I really love Sawyer's softer side, so that's been lots of fun to write. Yeah, I quickly learnt when I first started writing it's a lot better doing original scenes.

DrLexieSloan: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you liked the twist and I'm sure you'll enjoy seeing Boone's interactions coming up. As for Kali not getting hurt anymore...that I can't promise, haha.

kz4valentina: Aw, thank you! I did debate on whether to keep her alive for a while but I decided he had too much potential. It looks like someone might have pipped Ben to the post with using poor Boone.


	31. Putting Yourself First

"You got any more aspirin?" Kali asked Sawyer, while they took a break for building the raft.

"What are you gonna' give me for it?" Sawyer teased, as Kali rolled her eyes.

"I could give you this shoe?" Kali suggested, taking off her left trainer.

"And why would-" Sawyer was cut off, as Kali threw the shoe at Sawyer's chest with a grin.

"Do you want the other one too?" Kali grinned, as Sawyer rubbed his chest, shaking his head fondly.

"You think your funny, huh?" Sawyer asked, standing up to go rifling through his medicine stash.

"I'm hilarious" Kali replied, making Sawyer scoff.

"Debateable" Sawyer teased, throwing her the bottle of aspirin.

Kali jumped to the side to be able to catch the bottle, grimacing in pain as she did so. Sawyer frowned as he watched how she guarded her side, while quickly downing a couple of the aspirin. From the look on her face, she expected they wouldn't help much.

"Does it still hurt a lot?" Sawyer inquired, as Kali reluctantly nodded.

"I could take a look at it if you want?" Sawyer suggested, making Kali raise an eyebrow at him.

"Are you trying to get me naked, Mr Ford?" Kali exclaimed, with an amused tone.

"Are you trying to change the subject, Miss Dixon?" Sawyer retorted, knowing her humour was her usual type of deflection.

"It's fine" Kali insisted, running a hand through her hair.

"Well, let me be the judge of that. C'mon" Sawyer told her, as he went to kneel beside her.

"If you want to get me properly checked out, it should probably be Jack doing it" Kali pointed out, turning to face him.

"I'm the only who's going to be checking you out" Sawyer replied, his eyes widening a little when he realised what he had said.

Kali giggled lightly at Sawyer's expression, which quickly died down the moment Sawyer's hand reached out to touch the hem of her shirt. When Kali made no sign of pulling away, he slowly pulled the shirt up to reveal her bruised back. However, Sawyer quickly realised bruised wasn't the right way to describe her skin. Almost every inch of her back was covered in some sort of purple or black bruise, the worst being over one of her shoulder blades. She must have been in agony. Sawyer reached out to touch the injury, feeling Kali shiver under his touch.

"Why didn't you tell me it was this bad?" Sawyer frowned, trailing his hand down her back.

"I didn't want you to worry," Kali said, softly.

"I always worry about you" Sawyer confessed, as Kali turned slightly to look at him, realising just how close they were sitting.

Suddenly the tent flap was ripped opened to reveal a panting Kate, her mouth open as if to speak. Kali and Sawyer sprung apart quickly, as the former pulled down her shirt, but Kate had already seen the intimate position they had been in. She seemed too speechless to comment, leaving an awkward silence between the three.

"Kali! It's my dad! He's sick" Walt announced, rushing into the tent.

"What's happened?" Kali inquired, pushing herself upright, feeling a little dizzy.

"I don't know. He just dropped to the ground, he's in a lot of pain" Walt answered, gesturing for her to follow him.

While Kali ran after Walt who was already sprinting down the beach, Kate and Sawyer stayed where they were. Kate raised an eyebrow at him, thinking he had been making a move on Kali.

"That wasn't what it looked like…" Sawyer trailed off, not sure what else to say.

"Does she know that?" Kate stated as she turned to follow the others.

Sawyer mulled over this comment for a few seconds, wondering what Kali really did think of their relationship. He wasn't even sure what he thought. Sometimes they seemed like they were just friends and then other times when they were alone…that wasn't something he shouldn't be thinking about, Sawyer decided.

* * *

"I'm dying, I must be…" Michael groaned, clutching his stomach in pain.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic. You'll be fine" Kali rolled her eyes, shoving a bucket near his face.

"What's wrong with him?" Sawyer asked.

"He's got gastroenteritis" Kali replied, grabbing a nearby wet cloth and patting Michael's face lightly.

"In English?!" Michael panicked, as Kali bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.

"He's got a stomach bug" Kali clarified, as Walt sighed in relief, realising his dad was going to be okay.

"Why me?" Michael grumbled, retching into the bucket.

"Like I said…drama queen" Kali mumbled, making Sawyer chuckle.

"Are we all going to get this?" Walt inquired, not wanting to end up like his father.

"It depends what the source is. Have you eaten anything weird? Drank anything different?" Kali asked, as Michael shook his head.

"I've been doing the same as everyone else" Michael insisted.

"Okay, well it's just going to be a diet of water and maybe some crackers for you today. And rest" Kali told him.

"No, we have to launch the raft tomorrow. We have to-" Michael exclaimed, trying to sit up, as Kali pushed him back.

"You want to be on that raft? Then listen to me" Kali retorted, as Michael reluctantly laid back down.

"Well, that told him" Sawyer grinned, with an amused tone, as Kali stood up.

"Hey! Kate told me Michael was sick, what's happened?!" Jack called over, with Kate following not far behind.

"He's got the shits" Kali shrugged, as Jack seemed to have to stop himself from laughing.

"Hey!" Michael cried, in annoyance.

"You made it sound like he was dying" Jack chuckled, raising an eyebrow at Kate.

"I…I was just worried" Kate shrugged, seeming a little suspicious to Kali.

"Well, I had it handled" Kali told her, shoving past the older woman.

* * *

"Thought you might need that, boss. Wouldn't want our pilot out of commission before take-off" Sawyer announced, throwing a bottle of stomach relief liquid beside Michael.

A couple of hours had passed, and Michael was now looking a little better. If he kept hydrated Kali expected he would have been fit enough to travel on the raft the next day. She had gone to collect more water for him, when she saw Sawyer approaching him, and frowned when she saw the furious expression on Michael's face.

"You feeling guilty?" Michael scoffed.

"What?" Sawyer frowned, as Michael threw the bottle back at him.

"You're off the raft. You too" Michael informed them, as Kali came to stand beside Sawyer.

"Come again?" Sawyer asked, dumbfounded.

"You're off the raft!" Michael repeated, in an angry tone.

"We had a deal" Sawyer stated.

"Yeah, well, the deal ended the minute you decided to poison me" Michael pointed out.

"I did what now?" Sawyer exclaimed, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm done with you" Michael shook his head.

"You ain't done with me by a damn sight. You said you needed at least four!" Sawyer insisted.

"I've got four…with Kate. You've been stealing stuff off of dead bodies, keeping it for yourself, using it to buy favours. You're a liar and a criminal, and I'm not letting you near my boy!" Michael explained, slowly standing up.

"And your almost as bad" Michael mumbled, turning his attention to Kali.

"She hasn't done anything wrong" Sawyer told him.

"She hasn't done anything right either. She never speaks against you. I can't trust her. Therefore…she's off the raft" Michael went on, angering Kali who had been quiet at that point.

"And who says you get to decide that?" Kali announced, as all eyes turned to her in surprise.

"Excuse me?" Michael scoffed.

"Don't fuck with me, Michael. You won't like the results" Kali warned him, taking a step forward, so they were standing face to face.

Michael seemed surprised by this response, as Kali could see a flash of fear on his face. He quickly masked this, as everyone waited to see what he would do next. Michael raised his arm out and pushed her back roughly, not caring that she almost fell back from the shove. Kali balled her hands into fists, as Sawyer could tell things were about to escalate. He quickly reached out to grab her wrist, pulling her towards him before she did something she'd regret.

"You try to touch me again, and you'll be on the floor before you even raise your hand" Kali told him, as Sawyer let go of her.

"Hey, sweet-cheeks!" Sawyer called out, noticing that Kate had joined the crowd that was watching their fight.

"I had no idea how bad you wanted off this rock. Time to set things straight" Sawyer went on, as he grabbed her arm roughly, completely opposite to the way he had just touched Kali.

"Let go of me" Kate tried, struggling against him as he dragged her towards Michael.

"Tell him who the criminal is!" Sawyer insisted, shoving Kate forward.

"Hey, leave her alone, man!" Charlie exclaimed, rushing forward.

"Tell him!" Sawyer repeated, as Kate turned to look at Kali with a pleading expression.

"You brought this on yourself" Kali stated, refusing to meet her eyes.

While Kate had been distracted, Sawyer grabbed her backpack that she had been gripping onto.

"Give that back" Kate gasped, as Sawyer tried to keep it out of her reach.

"Leave her alone!" Michael said, confused as to why Kate seemed so worried about the backpack

"Leave her alone?" Sawyer scoffed, as he unzipped the backpack.

"Give it back!" Kate shouted, watching in horror as Sawyer dumped the contents onto the ground.

Kate immediately lunged forward to grab the passport that had fallen out, but Kali beat her to it. Kate had pushed her too far this time, if she didn't care, why should Kali?

"Well, would you look at this…" Kali trailed off, passing the document to Sawyer.

"Sawyer, please" Kate begged, afraid of what would happen if he revealed her secret.

"You all remember Joanna, don't you? Huh? The woman who drowned? Now what's Kate doing with poor Joanna's ID?" Sawyer announced, handing the passport to Michael, who stared in shock at Kate.

"Could it be she'd do just about anything to get on that raft? So, she could get herself rescued, run off with a new identity before half the reporters in the world descend on this damn Island? She might even poison the captain himself-" Sawyer explained but was cut off by Kate's angry cry.

"Shut up!" Kate snapped, glaring at Sawyer and Kali.

"Like you said Kate…this is nothing personal" Kali retorted.

"You want to tell us why you need to run so bad? You want to tell us the truth?" Sawyer insisted.

"…Yes. I was on the plane - with the Marshal. Yes, I was wanted and caught and being transported back. No matter what I say about what happened - about what I supposedly did - I'm going to jail…But I didn't poison you" Kate informed them, tearfully.

"Here…" Michael trailed off, handing the passport back to Sawyer, after a tense few seconds.

Kate watched sadly as the crowd began to disperse, knowing she had lost the trust of every person on the island. She had never felt so alone. Kali couldn't keep the guilty expression off her face, wondering if she had pushed things too far. Sawyer began walking away not long after, sharing a similar look as Kali.

"You're not as good of a liar as you think you are" Kali stated, as Kate crouched down to pick up the remaining items for her backpack.

"I wasn't lying. I didn't poison him" Kate shook her head.

"Then who did?" Kali asked.

"…It was Sun. She wanted Jin to stay. She thought if he was too sick, he wouldn't be able to go on the raft. I guess she chose the wrong bottle" Kate explained, looking up at the younger girl.

"Whose idea was it, Kate?" Kali questioned.

"Does it matter?" Kate retorted.

"I'm just wondering if Sun knows you were using her" Kali pointed out.

"What?" Kate scoffed.

"You wanted a spot on that raft. You used Sun's issues with her husband to get it. In the end…it was all about you" Kali explained.

"Well, clearly I didn't get what I wanted" Kate mumbled.

"You know what's sad, Kate? If you had just asked me for my place, instead of trying to stab me in the back? I probably would have given it to you" Kali informed her, before walking away, leaving Kate completely alone.

* * *

The next morning brought bad news, as the French Lady arrived at the camp with a warning. The Others were coming. Kali wasn't sure what it meant, but she knew she didn't want to be around to find out. Michael had given them back their spaces on the raft, as Kali wondered if he had only done so because of her threat the day before. Jack organised the remaining survivors from the crash to all help with finishing building the raft. Kali wanted to help, but Sawyer insisted that she was too weak. After seeing the bruises on her back, he insisted that she needed more rest. Kali felt useless as she watched everyone trying to push the raft into the sea, but it was to no avail. Sawyer was blamed by Michael as usual, as the part of the raft broke apart as it was pulled down the beach. Walt and Kali were the first ones to spot the black smoke pillar inland. Danielle, the French Lady had told them it would be the first sign before the Others attacked. Something bad was coming.

"So, this is the hatch that Boone almost died for?" Kali inquired, taking a step closer to the large structure.

Jack had filled her in on his latest plan of how to escape the Others. He wanted to hide everyone in the hatch. Kali bit her lip, as she reached out to touch the hatch, finding it strangely warm. There was a lot Jack wasn't taking into consideration.

"What do you think? Will it work?" Jack inquired.

"You want my honest answer or the sugar-coated one?" Kali asked.

"Sugar-coated" Jack replied.

"Well…it's better than staying on the beach and waiting for them to pick us off one by one" Kali teased, making Jack roll his eyes.

"Wait…what do you mean us? You're going to be on the raft" Jack pointed out.

"I can't just leave you all to get butchered" Kali retorted.

"I'm glad you have so much faith in us" Jack chuckled.

"I'm serious. This feels…wrong" Kali sighed.

"You need to be on the raft. They'll need someone with medical experience. And Sawyer won't go without you" Jack explained.

"He's grown on you, admit it" Kali grinned.

"Maybe a little…he's still a dick" Jack murmured.

"And you're still a big head. No one's perfect" Kali shrugged, as Jack laughed lightly.

"I'm gonna' miss you" Jack told her, surprising himself a little.

"Yeah, I'll miss you too, Doc. But the goodbyes are for later" Kali stated.

"Actually, I think it's going to have to be now. The French Lady knows where some dynamite is, we need this hatch open. We've got to go now" Jack informed her.

"Sounds dangerous" Kali frowned.

"Just like everything else on this damn island" Jack pointed out.

"Be careful, okay? When I come back, you better be at the front of the welcome party" Kali insisted.

"Yes, Ma'am" Jack smiled, as Kali raised her arms out to hug him.

"I'll see you soon" Jack told her, hugging her back quickly before pulling away.

Kali watched him walk away with a sad expression. She felt like she was abandoning all her friends. She felt like a coward, which was something new to her. She was distracted when she heard a strange sound from inside the hatch. It almost sounded like ticking. Placing her ear against the structure, she strained to hear it again, but found nothing. Shaking her head, she went to move away when she noticed something at the bottom of the hatch. Crouching down, her eyes widened when she saw it was a message.

"Don't trust him, Ka…" She read aloud, noticing that the last word hadn't been finished, and looked at the ground around her.

Her frown deepened when she realised it looked like there had been a scuffle, and then someone had been dragged away. What the hell was happening on this island, Kali thought to herself.

* * *

Kali had been just in time to hear Sawyer and Jack's goodbye but decided not to reveal herself as she listened to the conversation. Somehow Sawyer had met Jack's father before he had died and told Jack about how his father had wanted to apologise to him. This seemed to mean the world to Jack, who grew tearful at the mere mention of his father's name. As soon as Jack was out of range, Kali walked into the clearing, startling Sawyer.

"You keep doing things like that and it'll ruin that bad boy reputation you've got going" Kali announced.

"He needed a win" Sawyer shrugged.

"What're you doing?" Kali asked, seeing the bamboo on the ground.

"Getting us a new mast" Sawyer replied.

"You know that wasn't your fault, right?" Kali told him.

"I got distracted" Sawyer admitted.

"By what? Too many hot sweaty women?" Kali teased, as Sawyer looked away from her.

"I was worrying about you" Sawyer confessed.

"I'm fine. You don't need to-" Kali began, but he cut her off.

"I don't? Look at your back, Kali! You're not fine" Sawyer shook his head.

"I'm not your responsibility" Kali pointed out, thinking that's why he was worried.

"You don't get it, do you? If something happened to you…" Sawyer trailed off.

"What?" Kali asked, as Sawyer reluctantly looked at her.

"If something happened to you, I'd go out of my goddamn mind. And I hate it. Thinking about other people, putting them before myself…that's not me" Sawyer went on.

"Maybe you just haven't had the right person to care about" Kali mumbled.

"I need you to promise me something" Sawyer told her, taking a step forward so they were standing close to each other.

"I don't like promises" Kali sighed, as Sawyer reached out to cup her cheek.

"You're my best friend, Kali. I need you safe. Promise me that you'll keep yourself safe" Sawyer insisted.

Kali opened her mouth, not sure how to reply, when they heard a twig snap from a few metres away. Sawyer huffed out a groan, when he saw it was Kate, and reluctantly took his hand away from Kali's face. He grabbed the hatchet from near his feet and walked towards the bamboo he had cut down.

"I need an answer before we go on the raft" Sawyer stated, beginning to tie the bamboo together.

Kali nodded and walked over to Kate who seemed to have something to say to her.

"Sorry to interrupt" Kate announced, once Sawyer was out of hearing range.

"I bet you are" Kali grumbled, as she approached the older woman.

"I'm going with Jack" Kate announced.

"If you want to say goodbye to Sawyer, he's over there" Kali pointed out.

"I've already said goodbye to him. It was pretty quick" Kate replied.

"I'm not going to apologise for yesterday, Kate. I'm tired to being used" Kali told her.

"I know. And…I'm sorry. You were right. I was using Sun. I use everyone in my life. But I want to change. I want to be better" Kate explained.

"You're not a bad person, Kate" Kali insisted.

"Can you forgive me? For trying to get your spot on the raft?" Kate inquired, as Kali nodded.

"What's the point in holding a grudge? We might all be dead tomorrow" Kali sighed.

"My thoughts exactly. It's the time to get everything off our chest…" Kate went on, gesturing over to Sawyer.

"What?" Kali frowned, following her eyes.

She almost rolled her eyes when she saw Sawyer had stripped off his shirt, revealing the tanned, sweaty skin underneath. He looked like a damn model, Kali thought to herself. Turning away before she could start drooling, she saw Kate had a smug smile on her face.

"I heard what he said before. He clearly cares about you" Kate stated.

"Like he said, I'm his best friend" Kali shrugged.

"But he's more to you than that, isn't he?" Kate suggested, as Kali refused to meet her eyes.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about" Kali denied, with a shake of her head.

"You can lie to me, Kali. And him. But stop lying to yourself. Before it's too late" Kate insisted, turning on her heel and leaving Kali with her thoughts.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I apologise if there are a lot of mistakes, I'm super tired at the moment. Looks like Sawyer and Kali will be leaving on the raft next chapter...and we all know how that goes...Please leave a review:)

kz4valentina: Thanks for the review! Kate has really been trying everyone's patience, hasn't she? We'll have to see if she changes or not, haha.

scripturient3201: Aw, thank you so much! It'll be a little while before we see Boone again, but keep your eye out for him! We got to see a darker side of Kali this chapter, which was fun. I hope you enjoyed this chapter:)


	32. Team Raft

"So, you're just going to leave? You think Boone's dead too?" Shannon announed, once she saw Kali walking back to the beach.

"No, and I never will. He's alive, Shannon. Can't you feel it?" Kali stated.

"No…I can't" Shannon admitted, with a guilty expression.

"I'm coming back, okay? And when I do, we'll find Boone together" Kali insisted.

"What if it's too late by then?" Shannon pointed out, sadly.

"We'll never be able to search the entire island for him on our own. It's too dangerous. We need help. That's why I'm going" Kali tried to explain.

"You won't forget about us?" Shannon asked, as Kali's eyes softened.

"Never" Kali told her, as she pulled the blonde into a quick hug, who practically collapsed into her arms.

She hated leaving Shannon in such a vulnerable place, but there was nothing she could do to help her. The only thing that would help her was to bring Boone back. She prayed that Shannon would be wrong, and she wouldn't be too late. As she pulled away from the hug, she noticed Sayid walking over to the pair and made her excuses to leave.

"Wait, Kali! I need to talk to you" Sayid announced, rushing towards her.

"If Sawyer sees us-" Kali began, but Sayid cut her off.

"It will only be quick. I have something for you" Sayid informed her, taking her hand in his own.

Kali frowned as she felt him press a metal object into her hand and saw it was a small knife. She looked up to him in confusion, as Sayid tried to block the knife from Shannon's view.

"What's this for?" Kali questioned, as she placed the knife in the waistband of her jeans and placed her shirt over the blade.

"Just in case. You might need to protect yourself" Sayid exclaimed.

"Won't it be better for you if I ended up dead?" Kali retorted.

"What I did…what I tried to do…it's one of my biggest regrets. I hope one day you'll be able to forgive me" Sayid went on, making Kali sigh.

"Take care of her. Please" Kali told him, as she watched Sayid's lips twitch into a smile.

"You don't even need to ask that. I will protect her with my life" Sayid informed her.

"Okay, Romeo" Kali teased, as Sayid chuckled lightly.

"I'll see you around" Kali announced, taking a step back, as Shannon waved a goodbye to her.

* * *

Kali was helping to pack the last things onto the raft when Claire approached her, with her baby in her arms. She seemed teary as Kali reached out to stroke the baby's head softly.

"What's wrong?" Kali questioned, as Claire sniffled.

"I'm going to miss you. A lot. We both are" Claire told her, rocking her child back and forth.

"I'll be back before you know it" Kali insisted.

"Do you want to hold him?" Claire asked, watching Kali nod enthusiastically.

"Hey there, little fella" Kali grinned, as Claire carefully placed him in Kali's arms.

"He's never usually this quiet" Claire mumbled, rubbing his little hand.

"It must be my calming personality" Kali teased, as Claire scoffed with amusement.

"Right, that must be it" Claire mocked, as the girls giggled together.

"How's my little buddy doing today?" Charlie announced, walking over to them.

"He's doing the same as he was the last time you checked. Twenty minutes ago," Claire stated, raising an eyebrow at the Brit.

"Sounds like someone's got baby fever" Kali suggested, as she handed the baby back to Claire, placing a soft kiss on his head.

"And you haven't?" Charlie retorted, as Kali nudged him.

"What's in the bottle?" Kali frowned, seeing there seemed to be numerous notes tucked in the green bottle.

"Everyone's been writing notes to people at home. You want to write one?" Charlie suggested, holding out the bottle.

"I'm going on the boat, remember" Kali stated.

"Yeah, but if something happens then at least the bottle might get to people" Charlie insisted, as Kali shook her head fondly.

"I'm glad you're already feeling so confident in Team Raft" Kali laughed, as Charlie realised what he had said.

"Oh…no, I didn't mean it like...it might still be nice for you to write something, don't you think? Michael and Walt did" Charlie explained.

"Got no one to write to" Kali shrugged, as Charlie and Claire frowned in confusion.

"C'mon, there must be someone. Parents, friends, siblings…" Charlie trailed off, when Kali seemed to cringe when he mentioned siblings.

"See Chuckie, when you've got a friend like me, no one else compares. No need to send a message off in a bottle" Sawyer announced, appearing out of nowhere and slinging his arm over Kali's shoulders.

"Careful Sawyer, we might have to throw you off the boat. I think your big head is gonna' weigh it down too much" Kali teased, looking up at the blond with a grin.

"We'll leave you two to it" Claire smiled, as she pulled Charlie along with her, thinking the pair needed some alone time.

"Have you said your goodbyes yet?" Kali inquired, making no move to shrug Sawyer's arm off her shoulder.

"Only important person to me is leaving on the raft…I hope" Sawyer stated, raising an eyebrow at her.

"You know flattery will get you nowhere, Mr Ford" Kali replied, as she felt his hand rub small circles on her shoulder.

"In my experience it gets you a lot of places" Sawyer exclaimed, wiggling his eyebrows at her mischievously.

"Am I not allowed on the raft until I promise you that thing from earlier?" Kali questioned, a moment later.

"Pretty much. I'm thinking I might tie you to that tree over there…or was that a dream I had…" Sawyer trailed off with a grin, as Kali nudged him in the ribs.

"Alright, alright. I promise I'll keep myself safe" Kali told him, looking up into his blue eyes.

"That means no being a martyr. No putting yourself in unnecessary danger-" Sawyer began, but she cut him off.

"But putting myself in unnecessary danger is like 70% of my personality" Kali stated, as Sawyer had a thoughtful look on her face.

"And the other 30% is being a smartass" Sawyer retorted, as the pair shared a grin.

"…There's something I need to tell you too. Uh, it's kind of a big thing…so I'm just gonna' come and out and say it…" Kali stuttered, making Sawyer gesture for her to elaborate.

"I…uh, well you know we've gotten close…and…certain feelings can happen when two people get close…" Kali trailed off.

"What are you saying?" Sawyer frowned, as Kali's heartbeat faster.

"I think you need a haircut" Kali blurted out, as Sawyer's jaw dropped.

"A haircut?" Sawyer tried to clarify, as Kali nodded insistently.

"Yeah…it's gonna' be as long as mine soon. That's what I'm feeling right now. That you need a haircut" Kali went on, as Sawyer gave her a funny look.

"Are all Brits as weird as you?" Sawyer inquired.

"I am pretty unique" Kali shrugged, with a grin.

The moment Sawyer look away, Kali's grin fell from her face, as she cursed under her breath. That had been far too close. What was she thinking telling Sawyer how she really felt? There was no way he could feel the same.

Before long, it was time for them to leave, as everyone on the beach crowded around the raft to help push them. Kali jumped up onto the raft with Walt, as neither of them would be able to help much. Kali found herself crossing her fingers as she watched them all straining to push them into the waves and with a sudden jolt, they were in the water. Walt helped pull his father up, as Kali reached down to hold a hand out for Sawyer, who gratefully intertwined their hands. They couldn't stop the smiles from growing on their faces, as they watched everyone on the beach wave them off. Sawyer pushed himself up further on the raft to attempt to unfurl the sail, as Kali felt a strange sense of sadness. She realised that she had been happier on the island than she had been in over a decade. Would that all change when they got back to civilisation? Would Sawyer really stay with her? She was distracted as she heard the man in question cheering, as the sail unfurled, and the boat started to pick up speed. She wondered whether she had made the right choice leaving the island.

* * *

Sawyer watched over Kali as she slept with a smile, thinking that he had never seen her look quite so peaceful. She needed to sleep more than usual now, most likely due to the injuries she had sustained only a few days ago. It was a miracle she was still alive, yet alone able to come on the raft with them. As if able to hear his thoughts, she began to stir, her eyes fluttering open and meeting his gaze. She looked around, confusion written over her face, seeming to mumble a name that Sawyer couldn't make out.

"Hey, you okay?" Sawyer inquired, crouching down beside her.

"Yeah…weird dream…" Kali trailed off, rubbing her eyes.

"Oh, I bet. You were drooling in your sleep. Thinking about me, huh?" Sawyer teased, chuckling as Kali wiped at her lips, realising that he had just been mocking her.

"Oh, ha ha. Says the creeper who was watching me sleep" Kali retorted, with an amused smile.

"Pft, no I wasn't" Sawyer stated, pushing himself upright.

"Uh, you definitely were, man" Michael announced, watching as Sawyer turned to glare at him.

"Yeah well…not much else to do on this raft" Sawyer shrugged, as he seemed to get an idea and turned to start rifling through the cool box they had brought on board.

"Is that a man-bun?" Kali chuckled, as she saw how Sawyer had tied his hair up.

"You said it was getting too long" Sawyer replied, taking something out of the cool box that Kali couldn't see.

"I'm flattered that you value my opinion so much" Kali giggled, stretching her arms above her head.

She found herself trying to remember the strange dream she had, now only remembering flashes of what seemed like a memory. She had been in a large room, a mixture between a home and a work station. The fact that there had been no windows stuck out in her memory. A song was playing that she didn't recognise, as a bearded man walked past her and sat at the dining table. He had shoulder length brown hair, hazel eyes, and was undoubtedly attractive. He was probably around mid-thirties and looked desperately lonely. Now wide awake, Kali realised with a scoff that seemed to be just her type. He had sat at the table with his hands outstretched as he stared off into the distance, his eyes welling with tears. Kali found herself reaching out for his hand before she knew what she was doing, feeling sorry for the man. That was when she suddenly woke up, her eyes connecting with Sawyer's blue ones. It was strange that she remembered the man's face so vividly from her dreams. She must have seen him from somewhere before, but where?

"Those are the messages everybody wrote" Walt exclaimed, his voice bringing her out of her thoughts.

She looked up to see Sawyer reading a piece of paper, keeping a hold of the bottle of messages with his foot, a smug smile on his face.

"Sure are" Sawyer replied, as Walt looked appalled.

"They're private" Walt insisted, making Sawyer grin.

"Yep. I, for one, never knew how much Tracy missed her hubby and 2 kids back in Fresno. Yet she's sleeping next to good old Scott to keep her warm at night" Sawyer told him, as Kali decided to bring herself into the conversation.

"That's Steve. Scott's dead" Kali informed him.

"Whatever" Sawyer shrugged, as he went to read another message.

"Sawyer, Walt's right. What you're doing is fu…screwed up. Stop it" Kali scolded him, as she pushed herself upright to loom over him.

"Okay...I suppose you don't want to know who the hell Hugo is and how's he got $160 million dollars to leave to his mom" Sawyer responded, watching as Kali's jaw dropped.

"What?!" She gaped, grabbing the note from his hand.

"Oh man, some people have all the luck" Kali grumbled, looking over the note to see Walt giving her a judging look.

"Uh…but like I was saying, this is totally wrong" Kali added, as she handed the message back to Sawyer.

"How would you like it if I read yours?" Walt questioned, looking at the pair, as he crossed his arms.

"You can't read mine because I didn't write one" Sawyer admitted, seeming to surprise Walt.

"Why not?" The young boy frowned.

"I've got no one to write to" Sawyer murmured, placing the notes back into the bottle.

"There must be someone" Walt exclaimed.

"Everyone I ever cared about is dead, kid" Sawyer stated, in a dark tone.

"Then I guess your lucky" Walt replied, making Sawyer scoff.

"How the hell do you work that out, Einstein?" Sawyer retorted.

"That you found someone on the island to care about" Walt pointed out, his eyes falling on Kali, who's lips twitched into a smile.

* * *

Things had been going well for them as the wind was picking up speed, helping to push them further and further from the island. That was until they hit something under the water, and their rudder suddenly became unattached. Kali quickly jumped into action, dashing towards the mast to bring the sail down. Her eyes widened when she turned around just in time to see Sawyer jumping into the sea.

"Sawyer!" She screeched, running to the back of the raft.

Relief flooded through her when Sawyer rose to the surface a moment later, but he swam further from the raft in an attempt to retrieve the rudder.

"Sawyer! For God's sake, come back!" Kali yelled, but he wasn't listening.

"Grab the rope! Rope!" Michael ordered Jin, who did as he was told, throwing the rope at the other man.

"It's sinking!" Sawyer called back to them, as he grabbed onto the rudder.

Michael threw the rope into the water as far as he could, but Sawyer had drifted out too much. He would never be able to reach it in time. Kali watched as the rudder began to pull him down, as Michael tried to throw the rope once again.

"Just leave the damn rudder!" Kali insisted, but he wouldn't listen, as he tried to drag the rudder behind him.

"I can't reach it" Sawyer exclaimed, as Michael threw the rope too short once again.

"The things I do for this guy…" Kali grumbled, as she stripped off her plaid shirt, leaving her in just her tank top and jeans.

"Why are you stripping?!" Michael gaped, as Kali grabbed the rope from him.

"Wish me luck" Kali sighed, as she wrapped the rope around her wrist and took a couple of steps back.

"Oh no, not you too-" Michael was cut off as Kali sprinted off the raft, diving into the waves.

The water was colder than she had expected and the waves stronger, but soon enough she was able to push herself to the surface. She was glad to see Sawyer wasn't far from her and threw the rope the rest of the way. Sawyer gripped onto the rope with a grin, and started rapping it around the rudder, as Kali gave the others on the raft a thumbs up. She was greateful to the support the rope gave her, as her legs burned from swimming in the deep water. Soon enough they were being pulled back onto the raft, as Michael helped give Kali a hand to crawl back on. Jin rushed to the other side of the raft to help pull the rudder back on, not wanting to lose it once again. Kali whipped her head around as she noticed Sawyer was having a problem pulling himself back onto the raft, as he had exhausted himself from swimming against the waves. She held out her hand which he gratefully took, as she pulled a little too hard as Sawyer ended up falling on top of her. They both panted for a moment, as neither made a move, Sawyer's hands on either side of her face. Sawyer realised they had never been so close, as their faces were only inches away from each other. Despite himself, his eyes dropped to her lips for a moment, his heart beating even faster than it had been in the water. For a split-second Sawyer thought she was going to pull him closer as her hand touched his arm. However, what came instead was a slap to his arm and Kali's face morphing into anger.

"You stupid son of a bitch! What the hell was that?!" Kali scolded, continuing to hit him, as he rolled off her.

"Ow!" Sawyer exclaimed, as he brushed her hands away.

"God, I hate you sometimes" Kali complained, as she pushed herself onto her feet and began to storm away.

"You love me really!" Sawyer called after her, as she held her middle finger up.

* * *

"You two have one of the weirdest relationships I've ever seen, you know that" Michael announced, later that day, once the sun had gone down.

They had just turned on the radar to see whether they were any ships in the area, but so far there had been nothing. It wasn't looking good; Sawyer couldn't help but think. He looked towards the back of the raft, where Kali was helping to make sure the rudder was secure with Jin.

"How's that?" Sawyer replied, knowing instantly he was talking about his relationship with Kali.

"You want to die" Michael exclaimed, as Sawyer's head snapped up to look at him.

"What?" Sawyer frowned.

"So does she. But you both want to keep the other alive. It's kind of ironic, don't you think?" Michael went on, as Sawyer's frown deepened.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Mike" Sawyer shook his head, keeping his eyes on the radar equipment.

"Since the day you told me you wanted on this raft, I couldn't figure it out. Why does a guy who only cares about himself want to risk his life to save everyone else? The way I see it, there's only two choices - you're either a hero or you want to die" Michael explained.

"Well, I ain't no hero, Mike" Sawyer stated, sadly.

"Kali seems to think you are" Michael pointed out, looking towards the brunette.

"Yeah, well…like she's says, she hasn't exactly had a lot of good male role models" Sawyer scoffed.

"I'm just saying…doesn't she make you want to live?" Michael questioned, throwing Sawyer off.

He was just mulling over Michael's comment, as he realised just how important Kali had become to him when he heard a ping come from the radar equipment. Everyone's heads snapped up, as Kali rushed over to the men to see what was happening.

"Is that what I think it is?" Sawyer inquired, as he could see a blip on the radar was getting closer to them.

"Something's out there" Michael announced, as they all shared a worried look.

"It's closer. Give me the damn flare gun" Sawyer exclaimed, holding out his hand.

"Hold on a sec" Michael replied, taking out the flare gun.

"I'm telling you, it's closer. I'm telling you, look" Sawyer insisted, pointing to the screen.

"I know, okay. I've got one flare" Michael pointed out, as Walt dashed over to them, excitement written over his face.

"What is it? Is it a ship?" Walt queried, jumping up and down a little.

"We don't know, little man. We don't know" Michael stated.

"Exactly. We're not in any of the shipping lanes yet. We've been out here for what? Eight hours? How could we have found a boat yet?" Kali explained.

"Well what else could it be? We have to fire the flare!" Sawyer insisted.

"We don't know what it is. It could be anything-a piece of floating junk. We don't even know if Sayid's radar works!" Michael went on.

"Have you ever known that guy to fix something up that don't work?" Sawyer retorted, as they all had to admit he was right.

"It's moving away" Walt interjected, his eyes glued to the screen.

"Floating junk that knows how to steer, huh?" Sawyer scoffed.

"Look, we are too close to the island for anyone to have found us yet! This doesn't make sense" Kali told him.

"Exactly. And we're moving, so how could-" Michael began, but Sawyer cut him off.

"Are you going to give me the damn gun, or am I going to have to take it?!" Sawyer yelled, getting angrier by the second.

"What are you going to do? Shoot me?" Michael retorted, a dark look in his eyes.

"No one is shooting anyone. You two need to calm down, alright? Let's just think about this for a second…" Kali trailed off, as everyone remained quiet.

"It's almost gone" Walt warned them, as he turned to look at his father.

The whole group looked to Michael to decide what to do, as he was holding the flare gun. Kali was the only one who seemed unsure with what to do.

"C'mon!" Walt insisted, as Michael sighed and raised the flare gun in the air.

"I have a bad feeling about this" Kali mumbled.

"Please, god" Michael prayed, as he fired the flare, as it lit up the pitch-black sky for a moment.

Jin quickly rushed to take down the sails, knowing they needed to stay where they were if anyone was going to find them. As Kali watched the flare slowly drift back down, she heard the bleeping from the monitor stop. She knew she shouldn't, but she felt relieved. Something felt wrong about the whole situation.

"It's coming back!" Walt exclaimed, as the bleeping reassumed much to Kali's disappointment.

Kali didn't join in the cheering, as she watched the boat getting closer on the monitor. Jin quickly shushed them, gesturing to his ear, as he thought they should listen out for a motor. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, Kali took the knife that Sayid gave to her from the waistband of her jeans. Sawyer didn't miss this action and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Just in case" Kali announced, as she went to crouch down underneath the mast, so that she would be out of view of any incoming ship.

"What're you doing?" Michael frowned, as he watched Kali disappear.

"Hopefully nothing" Kali murmured, gripping the knife in her hand.

Suddenly the raft was lit up with flood lights, making Kali flinch as she brought her legs closer to her, making sure no part of her was in view. She heard the rest of the group cheer and shout, obviously thinking they were about to be rescued any minute.

"Are we glad to see you!" Michael grinned, as Kali could hear an engine cut out near them.

"What's going on?! What are you folks doing this far out here?!" A male voice called out.

"We were…the plane crashed! We were on the Island for a month, man!" Michael informed them.

"Plane crash, huh? Well, how about that?" The man replied, jollily.

"We were on an Island…hey, where are we?!" Michael inquired, as Kali begun wondering whether she should make herself known.

"Well, it's a good thing we found you" The male voice exclaimed, as Kali noticed he had deflected the question.

"Yeah, yeah, we survived and there's a whole group of people on the island…" Michael trailed off, as Kali silently groaned, wishing Michael wouldn't give out so much information.

"Well, ain't that something?" The man chuckled, something about his tone making Kali's skin crawl.

"Only, the thing is, we're going to have to take the boy" The man informed them, as Kali could see the grin's fall from her friends faces.

"What? What'd you say?" Michael frowned.

"The boy, we're going to have to take him" The man repeated, as Kali looked to Sawyer, who's eyes flitted over to hers for a moment.

"How many?" She mouthed to him, watching as he raised four fingers behind his back.

"Hey, what the hell's going on here? Who are you people?" Michael questioned, as Walt gripped onto his father's hand, fear washing over his face.

"Just give us the boy" The man insisted, as Kali could hear shuffling on the boat.

"I'm not giving you anybody" Michael retorted.

"Well, alright then" The man replied, as Kali could tell something was about to happen.

Deciding it was now or never to make her entrance, she jumped out from behind the mast, just in time to see one of the men on the ship raise a gun. She threw her knife, expertly hitting the man in the hand, as he dropped the gun with a cry of pain. The other men seemed surprised by this attack, as the one who Kali guessed had been talking, turned off the floodlights. Making a split-second decision, Kali lunged towards the man, jumping from the raft to the boat, hearing Sawyer call after her. She managed to shove him into the helm of the ship, using her hand to bash his head against the glass behind him, as he slipped to the floor. She managed to duck as one of the other men threw a punch her way, as she dropped to her knees and swung her leg out, pushing him off his feet. Seeing the gun that was on the floor of the boat, she lunged forward to grab the weapon. Standing back up she raised it at the man who had been holding it, a dark look in her eyes, as everyone stilled for a moment.

"I think that's mine" Kali exclaimed, leaning down and pulling her knife from the man's hand, making him scream and clutch his limb in pain.

"Kali, right?" The man who's head she had bashed in questioned, from where he was leaning against the floor.

"And I'm guessing your one of the Others" Kali suggested, watching as the man grinned.

"You know I can see the family resemblance. You might even be a better fighter than your brother…but you're not smarter" The bearded man informed her, watching fear wash over her face.

"What…what did you say?" Kali gulped, her hand trembling a little as she gripped onto the gun.

A loud bang suddenly made her jump, as she saw the other man who had been standing at the wheel held a gun in his hand. She whipped her head around to see Sawyer falling into the water, as she realised in a panic, that he had been shot. Without a second's thought, she dived into the freezing water after him, everything else but Sawyer forgotten.

"So predictable" The bearded man smirked, as he indicated for his crewmate to go forward and take the boy.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! A big thank you to everyone as this story now has 100 reviews, and for a show that ended a decade ago that's pretty amazing! Sorry this update took so long but at least you guys have got probably the longest chapter I've ever written, haha. Please leave a review:)

scripturient3201: Aw, thank you! Lots of raft drama for you in this chapter, haha. And Kali is certainly scary when she wants to be, looks like her brother showed her a few things.

farrahjohnson21: Hmm, I think you'll be very pleased with the direction this story is going in then. Especially with Kali's dream in this chapter, haha.

kz4valentina: Thanks for the review:) I love Kali and Sawyer's banter, it always flows so easily. Kate being nice was a fun surprise, wasn't it? Haha.

carmelitajones: We'll have to wait a little while to find who wrote the message...and why. Lots more of Kali and Sawyer coming in the following chapters.


	33. Saving People

The cold water engulfed Kali's body as she dived down into the depths of the sea, desperately trying to find any sign of Sawyer. There was barely any light, making it impossible to see. She reached out left and right, just hoping to find the older man, when there was an explosion of light above her. She gasped when she saw a piece of the raft plummeting towards her, as she swam to her right, narrowly missing getting hit by what she assumed was part of the mast. She could the flickering light on the surface and realised the raft must have somehow caught on fire. She was distracted when she spotted something out of her peripheral vision, and quickly kicked her legs out and pushed herself forward. Kali could feel relief flood through her veins when she saw it was a person and raised her arm out to grab them. Pulling the body closer to her, she could see it was Sawyer, his blond hair floating in the water, his eyes closed. Beginning to panic when she realised he was unconscious, she began to swim to the surface, having to use both her arms to keep a hold of him. By this point, she was desperate for air, but Sawyer's large weight was keeping her down. Her head felt like it was going to explode from the pressure, as she kicked her legs harder. Just when she thought she was going to pass out, she broke through the surface, gasping for air.

"Sawyer? Sawyer?!" She panted, making sure to keep his head above the water.

Still, he wouldn't wake up. She could see blood seeping out of his shoulder, realising that the bullet had made a direct hit. She whipped her head around, trying to find something to hold onto, as she could feel him slipping from her grip. Her gaze fell on a small part of the mast, as she dragged him towards the floating debris. She hauled him over the mast, trying to turn him onto his side, as she leaned forward to try to see if he was breathing. With a sigh of relief, she watched as his chest rose and fell. He was only unconscious. She gripped onto the collar of his shirt as she leant her forehead close to his, a smile on her face.

"Walt! **_Walt!_** " A familiar voice yelled, as Kali's head snapped up.

"Michael?" She yelled, using the mast to push herself up and scan the water surrounding her.

She spotted him in the distance, his arms flaying about, using up all his energy screaming his son's name.

"Michael! Mike, come this way!" Kali exclaimed, but Michael didn't seem to hear her.

"Wal…Walt! Wa…" Michael blubbered, as the water rose over his mouth.

"Dammit" Kali cried, as she pushed off from the mast and began to swim towards him.

By now her legs felt like they were on fire, and the resistance from the water was getting harder to push against. She was panting for air when she finally reached Michael, who's head had drifted under the surface. She reached down and pulled him back up, as he spluttered and spat the water out of his mouth. She looked back to see the mast had floated further away and knew she wouldn't be able to make it back there in one go. She scanned the water and saw a small part of the raft was still just about holding together and began to swim over to it. She wrapped her arm around Michael's body and dragged him with her, his head lolling against her shoulder. Luckily, it wasn't much of a swim, and she was soon able to push him up onto the debris. She was about to push herself up too, but her weight made the bamboo tip over, almost sending Michael back into the water. The movement made Michael jump, his eye shooting open, a panicked look on his face.

"Michael…help me up…" Kali stuttered, gripping onto the bamboo with cold hands.

Michael looked down at her, then back at the raft, seeing how she was already weighing it down. In response, Michael grabbed onto the other end of the raft and pulled himself onto it more, now only his legs were hanging off. Kali frowned at his action as she raised her arm up and placed it over the top of the debris, as exhaustion started to kick in.

"Help me" She exclaimed, holding out her hand for Michael to take.

He seemed conflicted for a moment, before looking away from her. Kali realised in horror what he was thinking and thrust her hand closer to him.

"Pull me up, Mike" Kali insisted.

"It's not big enough for both of us. It'll break apart" Michael replied, as Kali gritted her teeth.

"I can't keep swimming for much longer…" She trailed off, her legs already slowing down as they kicked in the water.

"I have to find my son…I can't do that from the bottom of the ocean" Michael stated, as Kali's eyes widened.

"Michael, please" Kali begged, as the water splashed against her face.

"You wanted to die. You wouldn't have come on this raft otherwise" Michael shook his head, refusing to look her in the eye.

"Not like this! Please, I…I don't want to drown" Kali cried, feeling tears beginning to well in her eyes.

"I'm sorry" Michael mumbled, scrunching his eyes shut.

"P-please, Michael…" Kali stuttered, as her grip on the raft started to loosen, as she slipped further into the water.

Michael placed his hands over his ears, trying to drown out her cries of help, as he heard more splashing. The weight pulling the raft down suddenly lessened, as Michael realised he couldn't hear splashing anymore. Slowly, he opened his eyes and saw that Kali was no longer holding on. Oh God, what had he done?

"Michael?" A gruff voice called out, as he turned onto his back to see who had spoken.

"Sawyer!" Michael yelled back, as he saw the blond gripping onto the mast underneath him.

"Where's Kali?" Sawyer exclaimed, making Michael gulp.

Had he seen what had happened? No, he couldn't have, Michael thought. There was no doubt in his mind that Sawyer would already be swimming over to him, ready to kill him if that was the case.

"Where is she, Mike?!" Sawyer insisted, seeing that Michael still hadn't replied.

"I…I don't know, I think she went under" Michael replied, seeing Sawyer's face morph into horror.

Sawyer looked around the rippling water surrounding them, trying to see any sign of Kali, but found nothing. Without a second thought, he let go of the mast and dived into the dark water below. His shoulder exploded with pain as he used his arms to push himself lower. The fire from the explosion on the raft made it easier to see, but still, he couldn't find her. How long had it been since she had gone under? How quickly would a person sink? His mind was racing as he felt more and more pressure on his chest. His body was begging him to go back to the surface, but he didn't want to. He didn't want to go back up without Kali. He couldn't. A small object glittered underneath him, as he swam deeper to grab it. He frowned as he squinted to see it was a bullet. His eyes widened as he realised it must have been the bullet Kali kept with her at all times. Whipping his head around, he spotted a dark figure further down and dived deeper into the cold water. Raising his arms out, he grabbed the body and began to pull it up with him. He swam as fast as he could, knowing he needed air desperately. With a loud cry, he burst through the surface, pulling the body against his own. He pushed Kali's long brunette hair away from her face, letting her head rest against his shoulder. Thankfully, he spotted a piece of the raft close by, which was bigger than what Michael was floating on. He pushed Kali up first, watching as she flopped loosely onto the bamboo. He quickly hauled himself up a second later, kneeling next of Kali's unconscious form. His eyes widened as he looked down and realised she wasn't breathing. He leaned down to press his head against her chest, placing a hand in front of her mouth but found nothing. How long had she been down there?

"No, no, no…" Sawyer cried, memories of not long ago when Kali had died coming back to him.

He placed his hands on her chest, ready to start CPR when he looked up at her face and was shocked to see her eyes had opened.

"Kali?" Sawyer questioned, moving closer to her.

She laid there motionless for a few more seconds, as Sawyer frowned when he realised she still wasn't breathing. Her eyes were wide open, seeming to be looking at something, but Sawyer could see nothing but the night sky above her.

"Kali?" Sawyer insisted, touching her cheek lightly.

 ** _Kali?_** _A soft voice cried from all around her, but she could see nothing but black. It was Sawyer, she was sure of it. She opened her mouth to call back to him but found nothing came out. Only water. She felt like she was drowning from the inside. She dropped to her knees, her hands going around her neck as she felt like she couldn't breathe._

 _"It's time to wake up now" A voice announced, with a Scottish accent._

 _She looked up to see the man from her dream standing in front of her, his hand outstretched._

 _"You've got a lot more work to do, Kali. A lot more people to save…" The man trailed off, a sad look in his eyes._

 _Kali slowly raised her arm out to touch his hand, frowning at how real it felt. She looked up into his hazel eyes and felt a strange sense of familiarity._

 _"You can save him too" The man informed her, making Kali frown._

 _"Sawyer?" She suggested, realising she was able to speak, no longer feeling like she was drowning._

 _"No. You've already changed him. C'mon Kali, you know who I'm talking about. He needs you now more than ever. You need to trust him" The man explained, making Kali frown deeper._

 _"Who are you?" She inquired, as her eyes slowly fluttered shut._

Her eyes suddenly shot open, as she let out a scream, sitting bolt upright. Her eyes searched around manically, as she saw Sawyer kneeling next to her, relief on his face.

"Hey, it's okay. You're okay" Sawyer told her, pulling her against his chest.

"W-what happened?" Kaliasked, as Sawyer wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"I don't know. I dragged you out of the water, you weren't breathing and then…your eyes opened, and you started mumbling things" Sawyer informed her, as she gripped onto his other arm, needing an anchor.

"What things?" She frowned.

"Gibberish mostly. You said my name" Sawyer stated, with a small smile.

"Just your name?" Kali questioned, as she pulled away to see his smug expression.

"Well…no. Your brother's, Michael's…Desmond, I think…who's that?" Sawyer inquired, as Kali shrugged.

"Did I say anything else about Michael?" Kali inquired, her interest more on what she might have divulged about her encounter with the other man, than some random name.

"No, just more gibberish. Why?" Sawyer asked, as Kali looked across the water to see Michael looking at the pair.

"…No reason" Kali exclaimed, her eyes locking onto Michael's dark ones.

* * *

"Jin!" Sawyer shouted, standing up on the makeshift raft, clutching his painful shoulder.

"Jin! Come on, man!" Kali yelled, standing next to Sawyer.

"Shouldn't you two be saving your energy?" Michael suggested, from where he was sitting on his own makeshift raft a few metres away.

"Well Jin's still out there in the water, so if it's okay by you I'm going to keep shouting a while" Sawyer stated.

"Feeling guilty?" Michael mumbled as Sawyer's head snapped round to look at him.

"What?" Sawyer questioned, genuinely confused.

"You made me fire the flare" Michael pointed out, as Kali glared at him.

"Oh, so this is my fault?" Sawyer scoffed.

"You really want to talk about guilt, Michael?" Kali warned, as the older man shut his mouth and looked away.

"Walt's fine. Probably wrapped up in a blanket, drinking hot cocoa-" Sawyer began, as Michael cut him off.

"You better take my son's name out your mouth right now!" Michael exclaimed.

"Would you two stop it, already?!" Kali shouted, as their raft suddenly bumped into something, almost throwing Kali and Sawyer into the water.

"What the hell was that?" Sawyer questioned, crouching down and pulling his gun out.

"I see you managed to hang onto your best friend there" Michael scoffed, from where he was kneeling on his own raft.

"Sawyer, pass me the gun" Kali exclaimed, as something bumped into their raft again.

"Why?" Sawyer asked.

"Because I think Michael's going to keep talking" Kali responded, giving Michael a cold look.

Before Sawyer could comment on the tension between the two, something burst through the water's surface nearby. Kali's jaw dropped as she saw the unmistakable outline of a fin and realised what creature was trying to attack them.

"It's only a shark" Sawyer stated, kneeling down.

"Oh, I feel so much better now" Kali said sarcastically.

"Well, we all know why the shark is hanging around. Your shoulder" Michael announced.

"He has a point. You should let me have a look at it" Kali suggested, reaching out to touch the wound.

"It's fine. I'm fine" Sawyer insisted.

"Sawyer come on" Kali sighed, but Sawyer simply turned around, shielding the wound from her touch.

"Look, I don't want to know how bad it is, okay? There's nothing that can be done about it right now" Sawyer explained.

"You're such a twat sometimes" Kali grumbled, crossing her arms.

"Oh, says you! You almost drowned an hour ago!" Sawyer exclaimed.

"Yeah, trying to save you idiots!" Kali retorted, seeing how Sawyer's eyes widened.

"Wait…you pulled me out of the water?" Sawyer realised, as Kali looked away from him.

"You and Michael. I…I guess I must have passed out afterwards" Kali shrugged, as Sawyer raised his arms up in annoyance.

"What happened to our deal?! You said no putting your life in unnecessary danger!" Sawyer cried.

"And saving you is unnecessary danger?" Kali scoffed, with a roll of her eyes.

"Yes!" Sawyer replied.

"Would you two stop arguing like a married couple for five seconds?!" Michael shouted, leaving the two to glare at each other.

* * *

Kali wasn't sure when it happened, but at some point, she must have fallen asleep. The exhaustion of the day having caught up with her, she guessed. She woke up with a start when she heard Sawyer letting out a bloodcurdling cry and looked up to see him with his finger's rummaging in his bullet wound.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Kali gaped, as she saw him pull the bullet out with once last scream.

"You got a band aid?" Sawyer inquired, starting to shake.

"You are…unbelievable!" Kali grumbled, as she crawled closer to him, worried he would fall forward into the cold water below.

"Guess you shouldn't have saved me then" Sawyer replied, as Kali gritted her teeth.

"You could at least say thank you" Kali scoffed, as Sawyer placed his hand against the bullet wound that was now bleeding more.

"You almost died, Kali! I'm not going to thank you for risking your life…again!" Sawyer yelled.

"Well you better get used to it because there is no way in hell, I'm letting you die. Ever!" Kali retorted.

"Right back at you!" Sawyer exclaimed, slowly realising how ridiculous the argument was.

"…Seeing as you've now definitely shoved millions of germs into that wound with your fingers, you gonna' let me look at it now?" Kali asked, as Sawyer reluctantly nodded.

Sawyer turned slightly, his back still turned to Kali, as she leaned over and ripped his shirt open further. She sighed when she saw how much blood was seeping from the wound, the trauma of Sawyer rifling around in his shoulder making it a hundred times worse. She needed something to stem the flow of blood, something tight. She looked down to Sawyer's jeans and noticed he was still wearing his belt. Kali reached down to touch the belt buckle, when Sawyer's other hand suddenly grabbed her wrist.

"What're you doing?" He exclaimed, as Kali realised her hand was hovering over his crotch.

"Well, I thought now would be perfect timing to jerk you off…" Kali trailed off, with a roll of her eyes.

Sawyer looked at her with wide eyes, mixed in with confusion and something else that Kali couldn't put her fingers on. She realised with a blush her hand was still hovering just over his crotch.

"I need your belt, dumbass. To stop the blood" She clarified.

"Oh…" Sawyer mumbled, letting go of her wrist.

She leant further over his shoulder to try to unbuckle the belt, but from her position it was difficult. She pressed herself further against Sawyer's back, her fumbling hands not getting very far. The shark nudged the raft again suddenly, as Kali's hands drifted lower than she meant them to.

 _Oh god, did I just touch Sawyer's dick? I definitely did. No, no, inappropriate thoughts, now is not the right time. Shit, my hands still there…_ Kali's mind panicked, as she ripped her hands away from him. With an awkward cough, Sawyer reached down and easily undid the belt, handing it to Kali, refusing to look at her. Kali couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't done that in the first place. She watched as Sawyer squirmed, reaching down to rearrange his trousers, as Kali blushed wildly. She went to lean over him once again, pulling the belt around his shoulder and tying it tightly. Sawyer groaned in pain as she did this, balling his hands into fists. Kali was glad to see the wound quickly decreased in bleeding and began to think of something she could use to dress it. Before she could do anything else, Sawyer's eyes suddenly rolled into the back of his head, as he passed out on top of her. Kali easily caught him in her arms, letting his head rest against her shoulder.

"He alright?" She heard Michael shout over.

"Yeah, it's probably just the shock" Kali exclaimed.

"…Or the fact that all the blood in his body just went to one part of his anatomy" Michael mumbled, not loud enough for Kali to hear.

* * *

The three of them managed to find a piece of the pontoon of the raft as the sun began to rise. It was much sturdier and after a manic swim, they were able to safely climb on top. There was a strange silence between the group, as the tension could practically be cut by a knife. Kali kept an eye on Michael while Sawyer slept behind her, the clear lack of trust obvious on her face. She frowned when she saw he began to sob a couple of hours later, hiding his head in his hands. Sawyer pushed himself up from where he had been laying against the pontoon, meaning he was almost pressed against Kali's back now. The younger girl decided she needed to get off the makeshift raft soon.

"You alright, Mike?" Sawyer questioned, noticing the crying man.

"It's my fault. All of this…it's all my fault. I never should have brought him on the raft. I never should have…" Mike trailed off, his eyes snapping up to Kali's.

"How about that" Sawyer announced, as Kali turned her head to look at what Sawyer was pointing at.

"The current brought us back. We're home" He stated, when she saw the island not so far away.

 _How the hell did it bring us back so fast? It's a miracle that we weren't…oh for God's sake, why is he touching my hip now. Maybe he wants some payback for last night. No, this is not good. He's sitting way too close-_

"Kali. Let's paddle" Michael insisted, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Um, yep. Right, let's do that" Kali stuttered, licking her dry lips.

It was an uncomfortable trip back to the island, as Sawyer gripped onto Kali's hip as he leaned down to push them closer to the island. He definitely knew what he was doing, there was no doubt about it. Even Michael seemed to find the touch suspicious, as he raised at eyebrow at the blond's movements. Once they finally made it back to the beach, Kali was the first one to push up from the pontoon, desperate for some space. They stumbled over the rocky beach, Sawyer and Michael both falling onto the sand, exhausted. Kali helped Sawyer up first, hiking her arm under his good shoulder and pulling him upright. He gave her a grateful nod, as he took a few steps forward to survey the beach. Michael was surprised when Kali thrust a hand in front of him, signalling for him to take it.

"Are you going to tell him?" Michael inquired, reluctantly taking her hand in his own.

The moment their hands touched, Kali pulled him up roughly, so their faces were very close. She had used so much force Michael was worried for a second she might have dislocated his shoulder.

"No. Because unlike you I don't want someone's death on my conscience" Kali spat out, bitterly.

"Kali, I…I'm so sorry. I was scared…" Michael stuttered as Kali gripped his hand painfully hard.

"I should thank you, Michael. You've really cleared things up for me. I'm done. Saving you, saving everyone on this damn island. It's time I thought about myself for once" Kali explained, as her nails pierced into the skin of his hand.

"What…what does that mean?" Michael questioned, feeling true fear.

"It means I don't forgive, Michael. And I sure as hell don't forget" Kali hissed, as she shoved him onto his back.

"Everything alright?" Sawyer called over to them, having just turned around to see Michael on his back, with Kali looming over him.

"Everything's fine. You just slipped, didn't you Mike?" Kali suggested as Michael nodded nervously.

In that moment, he saw Kali differently. Maybe he was really seeing her for the first time. She was dangerous, maybe even the most dangerous thing on the island.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Wow, so there's a lot to unpack there. Oh Michael, just wait until you meet Kali's brother, then you'll really see what a dangerous person looks like. Please leave a review:)

scripturient3201: We'll be finding out just how manipulative Kali's brother can be in this season, as we find out how he's connected to the Others. They really do have a weird relationship, don't they, haha?

kz4valentina: Aw, I'm glad you liked the chapter so much! There will be a lot more Sawyer/Kali interaction's coming up soon, as they continue to get closer. Hopefully, you'll like this chapter just as much:)

DrLexieSloan: Oh my God, thank you so much! It'll never happen, but anyone making anything out of stories would be a dream come true. This review really made me smile:)

stxrsoforion: Thank you for the review! I'm glad you think it's well-written, as it can be really difficult sometimes with fanfics. Kali and Sawyer's relationship is defintely one of my favourite's. I've tried to not make Kali too much of a Mary Sue, which can be hard when you love your OC's, haha. But yeah, I've tried to give her lots of flaws, it makes her a lot more interesting. I really appreciate all your kind words:)

billieshade: Thank's for the review! I love a good cliffhanger, haha.


	34. A New Arrival

The group were quickly distracted as they heard shouts coming from the treeline, as a familiar face emerged and sprinted towards them. Kali's eyes were drawn to his hands which were bound behind his back, and the fear plastered across his face.

"Jin!" Sawyer exclaimed, as the man in question tripped in front of them.

Michael and Sawyer rushed forward to help to unbind the frightened man, but Kali was more concerned with what he was running from. Jin wasn't making any sense to them, as Kali cursed the fact that the older man knew so little English.

"Others…Others!" Jin panted, as Kali watched a group marching out of the treeline.

Kali opened her mouth to tell them to run, but the words died in her mouth when her eyes connected with one of the men in the group. Someone she knew far too well.

"No…" Kali trailed off, taking a step back.

Her feet were begging her to run, but she was in too much shock to move a muscle. Sawyer seemed to notice her reaction, as the tall man walked to the front of the group, his eyes on Kali alone. There was a tense silence from both the groups, as the man continued to approach them until he was a few metres away, a sinister-looking smile on his face. Sawyer had to admit the man was attractive, from his brown eyes so dark they almost seemed black, to his well trimmed beard, and the tight blue shirt he wore which emphasised the muscles underneath.

"Well…aren't you a sight for sore eyes" He grinned at Kali.

Kali paled even more at the comment, looking like she was seconds away from throwing up. Sawyer's eyes flitted down as he saw something drop from underneath the man's sleeve and realised it was an expandable baton. Before Sawyer could warn Kali, the man had raised his arm and swung it against her head, instantly knocking her out. The man lunged forward to catch Kali before she could hit the ground, her eyes fluttering shut. The last thing she heard was Sawyer yelling her name.

* * *

Her hearing was the first thing to return as she slowly woke up. She could hear someone talking from nearby. Not just anyone. Sawyer. He sounded angry, almost murderously angry. The next thing that occurred to her was a cold object being pressed against her aching head. Kali raised a hand to touch the painful spot as she tried to remember what had happened.

"Sorry about that" A voice mumbled near her ear, as her eyes shot open.

She instantly flinched away from his hand that was holding a wet cloth against the wound on her head. The wound that **_he_** had caused. Kali tried to back up further but found that she was already backed up against a surface. Looking up she realised that she was in a pit, a large one at that, but there was no escape but up. Kali's eyes connected with the man's brown eyes who was looming over her, as her hands balled into fists. The man jumped backwards when Kali suddenly stood, her lip curling up in anger, looking all but ready to explode.

"I can explain…" The man trailed off, holding his hands up.

"Explain? How the fuck are you going to explain?! You bastard!" Kali cried, lunging forward and shoving the man back so hard he almost fell backwards.

Sawyer had never seen her look so furious in all the time he knew her, as she swung her arm forward and hit the man squarely in the jaw. He stumbled backwards a few steps, looking back up at her with dark eyes, his lip now split.

"You lying…" Kali exclaimed as she thrust her hand forward to hit him again, but he caught her wrist.

"Stop. Stop! You done?" The man told her, grabbing her other arm to hold her in place.

The murderous rage behind her eyes seemed to simmer down if only a little. She suddenly seemed uncomfortable with how close she was standing to the man and tried to pull away but he wouldn't let her.

"Leave her alone!" A voice spat, as Kali turned to see Sawyer for the first time, his hands bound behind his back and tied to a log.

"Calm down. I'm not going to hurt her" The man huffed, in annoyance, letting go of her wrists.

"My head wound would say otherwise" Kali pointed out, as the man scoffed harshly.

"We both know you deserved that" The man insisted, wiping his bleeding lip with the back of his hand.

"How the hell are you here?" Kali couldn't help but ask.

"That trail that you were following in Sydney? Well…it was me. Your brother sent me as a decoy. I was there to make sure you got on and off the plane at the right times. Clearly, it didn't work out" The man went on.

"Glad to see you've been upgraded from guard dog to expendable lacky" Kali muttered, as the man grit his teeth.

"Who is this guy, Kali?" Sawyer called over, sensing the tension between the two.

"Billy Kingston. I'd shake your hand but…you seem a little tied up" He stated, with a smirk, ushering to the rope that bound Sawyer's hands behind his back.

"Come a little closer and we'll see who lands on top" Sawyer insisted, as Billy grinned.

"I like this guy. I bet you do too, huh?" Billy suggested, making Kali roll her eyes.

"Who are those people with you?" Kali asked, changing the subject quickly.

"From the tail section of the plane. We're the only ones left" Billy confessed.

"What happened to the rest?" Kali frowned, seeing how Billy tensed at the question.

"You met the Others yet?" Billy inquired.

"They took my son" Michael interjected, as Billy looked over his shoulder at him.

"He's probably dead" Billy stated, dismissively.

"Wow, Bill. Don't bother sugar-coating it" Kali muttered.

"Right. Your son is probably dead, sorry for your loss…better?" Billy asked, turning back to Kali, who seemed unimpressed.

"What's your game plan here? Talk us to death?" Kali exclaimed.

"No one's killing anyone. I'll tell them we go way back, and then you can take us to wherever you've been for the last fifty days" Billy explained, as if it was obvious.

"No. I need to find my son. We can't go back" Michael insisted.

"You want to risk your life on a fool's errand? You be my guest" Billy retorted, watching as Michael grew angrier.

"Fool's errand?! This is my son's life we're talking about!" Michael growled.

"You keep talking back to me and we're gonna' have problems. And trust me, you really don't want that" Billy warned him, as Michael opened his mouth and then closed it a second later.

"Now, I need to be sure you are all going to cooperate, which means I need your weapons" Billy stated, turning back to Kali.

Kali seemed to think about his request for a moment before reaching down and pulling a knife from her boot. She placed the knife on Billy's palm, who peered at it for a moment, seeming impressed with how well she had hidden it. Kali gave him an innocent look when he raised an eyebrow at her.

"That's it" Kali shrugged.

He then took a few steps forward until their faces were only an inch away from each other, as his hands went behind her to touch the small of her back. Billy gave her a look as he felt the tell-tale shape of a gun and lifted the back of her shirt. Kali seemed annoyed that he had managed to find the weapon and looked away from his smug face. His fingertips brushed against her bare skin as he pulled the gun from the waistband of her trousers, as Sawyer watched her shiver from his touch. The two clearly had history. Sawyer grit his teeth as he saw Billy whisper something in Kali's ear, not liking how close he was getting to her. In one swift motion, Billy opened the chamber to see there were only two bullets left in the gun.

"I'm coming up!" He called out, as they heard shuffling from above them.

"Why you'd do it?" Kali blurted out, leaving the rest of her group even more confused at the interaction.

"I had a job to do. It wasn't personal" Billy replied, as Kali turned away from him, irritated by his response.

"…Have you seen him?" Billy asked, a few moments later, as the bamboo grate above them was pulled away.

"Seen who?" Kali frowned, as a makeshift rope was thrown down the pit.

"Your brother" Ward replied, as Kali barked out a laugh.

"God, you really think he'd come all this way, for what? You? He doesn't give a shit about you, Billy. He never has" Kali told him, venomously, as he gripped onto and gave it a tug.

"He's not the monster you think he is. You'll see" Billy informed her, as he was slowly pulled out of sight.

The moment the pit was covered back up with the bamboo and they heard footsteps retreating, Kali rushed over to Sawyer. She immediately began untying his hands, a worried expression on her face.

"We need to find a way out of here before he comes back" Kali warned them, as she pulled his hands free from the rope.

"He a friend of yours?" Sawyer guessed, as Kali went to start untying Jin's hands, who looked completely confused at what was going on.

"Used to be. Now I wouldn't piss on him if he were on fire" Kali exclaimed, pulling at the rope.

"What did he do to you?" Sawyer frowned, as Kali finished untying Jin.

"It's a long story" Kali murmured, as Sawyer slowly pushed himself to his feet.

"You gonna' untie me too?" Michael insisted, holding up his hands, as Kali gave him an angry look.

Michael quickly closed his mouth, having his answer and averted his eyes from her gaze. He knew even in Sawyer's injured state, if he found out what Michael had done, he'd kill him.

Sawyer's hand was on the small of Kali's back suddenly, as he ushered her over to the other end of their makeshift cell. What he was about to ask, he knew she wouldn't want the others to hear.

"That guy works for your brother?" Sawyer questioned.

"Used to be his righthand man. He's a goddamn sociopath" Kali grumbled.

"Then I guess we better find a way out sharpish" Sawyer stated, looking at the bamboo covering at the entrance of the pit.

"How's your shoulder?" Kali inquired, seeing the belt had come off his arm.

"It's fine" Sawyer replied, but Kali wasn't convinced.

She pulled his shirt away from the wound, grimacing at the large wound that was still slowly weeping blood. It was going to get infected if it wasn't already. Sawyer needed antibiotics and real first aid.

"We need to get back to the beach. Back to Jack" Kali told him, pulling her hand away.

"Just when I thought I was finally rid of the Doc…" Sawyer trailed off, with an amused smile.

"How do you feel? Dizzy, hot? Have they given you any water-" Kali began, but Sawyer cut her off quickly.

"Kal, I'm okay. Really" Sawyer insisted, but she could tell from the sweat on his brow and way he grimaced whenever he moved, it wasn't true.

"…We'll have to take them back to camp" Kali sighed, as Sawyer looked down at her with confusion.

"You just said that guy is a sociopath, we can't bring them back to our people" Sawyer retorted.

"We'll get their quicker with them. Safety in numbers and all" Kali suggested as Sawyer raised an eyebrow.

"You were just saying we've got to make our escape, and now suddenly you want us to join them?" Sawyer questioned.

"You're not going to be able to make a run for it" Kali stated, as Sawyer realised she had changed her mind because of him.

"…That doesn't mean that you can't" Sawyer pointed out, as Kali shook her head.

"I'm not leaving you. We stick together" Kali insisted, as she raised her hand to touch his own, intertwining their fingers.

"Come whatever" Sawyer nodded, as his lips twitched into a smile.

Suddenly the bamboo hatch above them was ripped away, revealing Billy and another woman that Kali hadn't seen before. She saw how Billy's eyes immediately drifted to her and Sawyer's intertwined hands and pulled away, a small blush rising over her cheeks. A smug smile spread over Sawyer's face, enjoying that he could get a reaction like that out of Kali.

"Grab the rope!" Billy exclaimed, as they walked to the other side of the makeshift cell, where Jin had rid Michael of his bindings.

"I want my knife back" Kali called up to him, as Billy seemed to mull this over for a moment.

"…Okay" Billy nodded, taking the knife out of his pocket and dropping it down, to where Kali expertly caught it.

"Really? You're giving them weapons now?" The woman complained, an annoyed expression on her face.

"Trust me, that girl down there…she doesn't need a weapon to hand your ass to you" Billy smirked.

"Grab the rope" The woman insisted, as Kali took a step forward.

"Don't do it" Sawyer warned her, grabbing her wrist.

"They might have a first aid kit, bandages…you need help" Kali pointed out, in a hushed tone.

Sawyer watched reluctantly as she grabbed onto the rope and was slowly pulled up. He was too concerned to even enjoy the view of her ass. She tried to reach up to grab a root near the top of the pit, but quickly lost her grip and almost fell backwards. Billy's hand shot out to help her, as she glared up at him.

"C'mon, I won't drop you" Billy told her, ushering for her to take his hand.

With an irritated sigh, she reached for his hand as he effortlessly pulled her to her feet. He wrapped his arm around her waist needlessly, pulling her away from the edge with a smug smile. Sawyer already didn't like this guy.

"You next" The woman ordered, looking to Jin, who quickly did as he was told.

"Don't do it" Sawyer advised Michael, as he was about to grab hold of the rope.

"She hasn't got a weapon. She's not gonna-" Sawyer was cut off as the woman threw a large rock at his head.

" ** _Ah!_** Son of a bitch!" Sawyer cried, stumbling back.

Kali was instantly storming towards the older woman, her hands balled into fists, but Billy held her back. She was protective over the blond, and he seemed to be towards her, Billy thought to himself.

"Really not worth it" Billy suggested, in a hushed tone.

Billy then bent down to pull Michael up to join the rest of the group, looking down at Sawyer with an expectant expression. Knowing it was a fight he couldn't win, Sawyer reluctantly gripped onto the rope, with one hand, clutching the other against his chest. He groaned as pain shot through his arm, as he tried to grab the ground above him. Kali crouched down to wrap her arms around him and with a sharp tug was able to pull him out of the pit, as he fell on top of her. Sawyer's kept his hands on either side of her face, as he stayed hovering above her for a few seconds longer.

"Second time in two days that I've landed on top" Sawyer flirted, as Kali looked away with a giggle.

"Nice…that's a good one" She chuckled, her eyes dropping to his grinning lips.

There was an irritated cough from beside them, as Sawyer hesitantly rolled away from Kali. The pair pushed themselves to their feet, dusting off the dirt that covered their trousers. Kali found that there was a man and a woman staring at them, whom she vaguely remembered had been standing behind Billy on the beach. She wondered how many were left from the tail end of the plane.

"I've explained that you were all on the plane too. Time for introductions. This is Ana Lucia" Billy announced, pointing to the woman who had thrown the rock at Sawyer's head.

"That's Libby…and this big guy is Mr Eko" Billy went on, first pointing to the blonde woman, and then back to a muscular man who wasn't wearing a shirt.

"I'm sure we'll all be one big family by tonight" Sawyer sneered, as Kali had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing.

"What you got there?" Ana Lucia frowned, watching as Sawyer tried to hide his hand behind his back.

"Nothing" Sawyer retorted, dismissively.

"You got a rock? You looking for some revenge? You've got three seconds to drop it" Ana warned him, taking a step forward.

"Ana" Billy exclaimed, sensing that things were about to take a turn for the worse.

"One. Two…" Ana trailed off, shoving past Billy.

"Now hold on-" Sawyer was cut off as Ana punched him in the face, as he slammed into the ground.

"Hey!" Kali cried as Eko held a wooden bat in front of her, stopping her from getting any closer.

"Didn't say three" Sawyer spat out, as Ana pressed down on his shoulder with her foot, making Sawyer groan in pain.

Both Jin and Michael took a step forward, not willing to stand by as one of their group was attacked, but they were held back too.

"Get off him!" Kali yelled, her hand going to the knife that she had placed in her pocket.

"Ana, do as she says" Billy insisted, but Ana didn't listen, pressing her foot harder against Sawyer's wound.

"No! He needs to learn some respect. You disobey me again and I throw your ass back in the pit. You understand? I said do you understand-" Ana cut herself off as she heard a clicking sound from behind her.

Ana whipped her head around to see Billy glaring at her, with a gun aimed at her head. The clicking sound had been him taking the safety off the gun. The surprise was clear on Ana's face.

"I said… ** _get off of him_** " Billy stated, a menacing tone in his voice.

"You're not going to shot me-" Ana scoff was cut off by a loud gunshot, as it whizzed past her arm, nicking the skin there.

"The next one goes through your head. Back off" Billy insisted, as Ana quickly did what she was told, taking her foot away from Sawyer's shoulder.

"You see, I don't need a gun. There are about five different ways I could kill you right now with my bare hands and you wouldn't even see it coming until it's too late" Billy announced.

"You might be a cop, Ana, but I'm in charge here. You do what I tell you when I tell you, or I'll put you down. That is the only way we all keep surviving...Is that clear?" Billy questioned, marching forward so that he was looming over the smaller woman.

"Crystal" Ana muttered, averting her eyes from his intense gaze.

"Let them go…we're moving out" Billy exclaimed, as the rest of his group backed away from Kali and her friends.

"Hey Ana! Before I forget…" Kali announced, shoving past Eko.

Before Ana could react, Kali had surged forward, sending a forceful kick her way. Ana stumbled back a few steps before falling into the pit below, with a loud thump.

"You touch him again…I'll kill you" Kali called down, to where Ana was crumpled on the ground.

She turned around with a smirk to see Billy thrusting his hand in Sawyer's face, who seemed surprised by this action. Reluctantly, Sawyer grabbed his hand and allowed himself to be pulled upright.

"You want me to take a look at that shoulder?" Billy asked as Sawyer raised an eyebrow at the offer.

"What, you a doctor now?" Sawyer inquired.

"No, but I've seen my fair share of bullet wounds" Billy pointed out, the gun still in his other hand.

"Thanks G.I Joe, but I'll pass" Sawyer exclaimed, making Billy grin.

"Alright, I'll leave you in my girl's capable hands" Billy smirked, patting Sawyer roughly on the shoulder, obviously knowing that's where his wound was.

"My girl?" Michael frowned, as Billy ushered for the group to follow him.

"Boyfriend?" Jin gaped, his accent thick, as he pointed from Billy back to Kali.

"No! Well…not really" Kali muttered, as Sawyer placed his hands on his hips.

"Care to elaborate?" He insisted, needing to know more.

"I had a tiny, little crush on him when I was younger and…he knew it. Look, it never really went anywhere. It's not a big deal" Kali explained, but Sawyer still didn't look convinced.

"You still like him?" Sawyer asked, making Kali scoff.

"He's a dick" Kali replied, crossing her arms.

"Which seems to be exactly your type" Michael couldn't help but point out.

"Sawyer, I swear, I'm completely over him. I've moved on" Kali insisted, as Sawyer slowly nodded.

"Good. I mean…you know, just because he seems like an asshole…it's good that you're over him…that's all" Sawyer stuttered, annoyed at himself for doing so.

Kali squinted at Sawyer's odd behaviour but was quickly distracted as Ana Lucia dragged herself out of the pit, the strain clear on her face. She glared at Kali as she stormed past them, a small blush on her cheeks, obviously annoyed at being bested by the younger girl.

"You guys coming or what?" Billy called back to them, in the distance.

"You know that was basically her telling you she's single, right?" Michael told Sawyer in a hushed tone, as Kali rushed ahead to catch up with the rest of the group.

"Oh shut up" Sawyer muttered, with a roll of his eyes.

* * *

They were led to a metal bunker that was completely covered by the vegetation of the jungle. Kali expected it was the only reason that Billy's group hadn't been killed. There was an older man and a woman that Kali remembered had been a stewardess waiting for them. They seemed terrified. In fact, the whole group did. Once Libby explained that 23 of them had survived the crash and that the six of them were all that were left, she could understand why.

"We don't have much food. This is all I can give you" Bernard, the older man offered, handing her two cooked fish.

He had a kind face and seemed far too trusting. Bernard had asked them about Rose, who Kali vaguely remembered from their camp. It turned out he was her husband and was obviously desperate to get back to her as soon as possible.

"Your wife's back at our camp, right?" Kali questioned, as Bernard nodded quickly.

"The longer we stay here the more danger she'll be in. We left because our group was under attack. We could help each other; you can show me-" Kali was cut off by a loud voice from behind her.

"What are you scheming?" Billy questioned, as Kali turned to him.

"I was just having a friendly conversation" Kali replied, innocently.

"We need food and water before we can start walking to your camp. It's dangerous enough as it is without the complication of dehydration" Billy explained, as Kali's eyes landed on Sawyer, who's eyes were fluttering shut a few metres away.

"Fine. Then just let me and my group go. We can come back for you" Kali suggested, as Billy shook his head.

"Not gonna' happen…you that worried about him?" Billy asked, ushering over to the blond in the corner.

"His wound is getting worse" Kali exclaimed.

"I'll take that as a yes then. I've got some bandages in the back. Maybe even some painkillers, but you've got to stay here" Billy insisted.

"Right, because in your deluded mind, my brother's about to step through those doors and then you can finally make good on your deal" Kali scoffed, crossing her arms.

"You can walk through those doors anytime you want, K" Billy told her, making Kali frown at his sudden change of mind.

"Okay, I'll be on my way then" Kali replied, turning to walk away, but Billy quickly raised his hand out to grab her wrist.

"But the blond stays" Billy exclaimed, as Kali gritted her teeth.

Kali didn't seem to need to even think about Billy's offer, as she pulled her arm away from his grip, a defeated look on his face. Billy seemed shocked by her reaction, a small grin spreading across his face.

"You'd really give up your chance at freedom for that guy?" Billy inquired, as Kali refused to look at him.

"He's my friend" Kali mumbled.

"…You love him?" Billy queried, as Kali's forehead wrinkled, not sure how to respond.

"Guess I'll go get those bandages then" Billy sighed, her silence was enough of an answer for him.

* * *

"Sawyer? Hey, it's me. Wake up" Kali exclaimed, touching his warm cheek lightly.

"Hey" Sawyer smiled up at her, as she kneeled in front of him.

"I got you some food" Kali informed him, holding up the cooked fish that laid on top of a bundle of leaves.

"Making me breakfast in bed, huh?" Sawyer smirked, as Kali placed the fish in his lap.

"Yeah…apart from it being night, and we're in a dark bunker" Kali scoffed, in an amused tone.

"Wish we were in our bed" Sawyer mumbled, in a delirious tone.

"You better eat up. Jin looks hungry" Kali insisted, deciding to brush over the 'our'.

"What about you?" Sawyer questioned, as he scooped up some of the fish with his fingers.

"I've already eaten" Kali shrugged, as Michael muttered something from behind her.

She had given the other fish to Jin, for him to share with Michael as much as he pleased. They both had seen that Kali hadn't eaten any of the other fish, deciding to give it all to Sawyer instead.

"Here's your bandages. Couldn't find any painkillers" Billy announced, dropping the bandages onto her lap.

"Thanks" Kali nodded up at him.

"Hey man, let your nurse patch you up. You'll be good as new in no time" Billy told Sawyer, who chuckled lightly.

Billy patted Kali on the back as he walked away, his hand lingering for a moment longer than Sawyer would have liked. He had woken up a lot more the moment he heard the other man's voice.

"I think it's time you tell me the whole story about you and pretty boy" Sawyer insisted, as Kali bit her lip.

* * *

Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! What do you guys think of Billy? It's always a risk adding another OC, but I think he'll help push certain storyline's further. We'll be learning more about his history with Kali next chapter, and delve into her past a bit more. Sorry if updates are a bit sporadic once again, but I'm a nurse and from tomorrow working with Covid-19 patients, so it's going to be a very busy few months for me. Stay safe everyone! Please leave a review:)

scripturient3201: Michael will get what's coming to him soon. I'm glad you're enjoying their interactions:)

MyCookiemonster95: Lots of Desmond to come in this story, you'll be happy to hear, haha.

rhiaraves: Aw, thank you! Kali's biding her time, but she'll get her revenge on Michael, don't worry.

kz4valentina: Thanks for the review:) Don't worry, there won't be too much Ana Lucia in this story. Lots more fun scenes coming up soon with Kali/Sawyer! Once Sawyer finds out what Michael did...God help him, haha.

Rhi: Thank you:) Sawyer definitely deserves some more fanfiction.

DrLexieSloan: Aw, glad you liked it, haha. Things will be getting steamier, don't worry, they won't be able to deny their feelings forever. There will definitely be more clashes coming up with Ana and Kali, especially once they get back to camp. Thanks for reviewing:)

clemhood1437: Aw, thank you so much:) I hope you enjoyed this update!

Apoka: Thank you for your reviews! I'm so glad you're liking this story, and wow in 3 days? I'm impressed, haha. I was also pretty disappointed when I tried to find some Lost fics on wattpad, it's definitely lacking there. I hope you liked this chapter:)


	35. Flashbacks

Once Kali had managed to convince Michael and Jin to give her and Sawyer some space, she came to sit beside him, riling herself up to speak about her past. Sawyer remembered how much Kali hated talking about her past, but this was different.

"He really hurt you, didn't he?" Sawyer suggeted, as Kali nodded sadly.

"After what happened to my parents, I stayed in forcare most of my life. There were a few foster parents here and there…but nothing stuck. So, once I turned sixteen, I had to move out of my last care home. I got a shitty flat, in a shitty neighbourhood…but I couldn't even afford that. I got into a bad crowd" Kali explained, catching Sawyer's attention.

"What kind of crowd?" Sawyer inquired, as Kali looked away.

"Drugs. It was the only work there was. I got paid to transport drugs to different parts of the country. If anyone recognised me, if they figured out who I was, they'd avoid me…it worked well. But once you're in that kind of life, you can't get out. Not unless someone helps you" Kali went on.

"Like him?" Sawyer questioned, ushering over to Billy who was talking to his group on the other side of the room.

"Sort of. I was doing a local drop off one day, must have had about a few bags of coke on me when these two guys tried to jump me. I thought they were after the drugs…" Kali trailed off, thinking back to that day.

 _"Well, well. What do we have here?" A tall man exclaimed, his friend coming to stand beside him._

 _Kali cursed herself for walking through the alleyway, in an attempt to stay off the streets. At least the two men in front of her weren't cops, that would have been the last thing she needed._

 _"Look, I don't want any trouble, alright?" Kali exclaimed, not stopping in her pace as she walked towards them._

 _"The problem is, hon. We do" The other man grinned, as he pulled something out of his pocket._

 _Kali stopped in her tracks when she saw the glint of a blade and started to weigh out her options. She didn't want to get into a knife fight, but it looked like she wasn't going to have any choice._

 _"Hey, back off!" Kali warned, as the two began to advance on her._

 _"Hmm, I don't think I will. I fancy carving something pretty on your face" The shorter man smirked, holding his blade out._

 _"You really don't want to-" Kali was cut off, as the taller man suddenly lunged forward, his fist connecting with her cheek as she stumbled backwards._

 _As he loomed over her, she sent her elbow flying backwards, hitting him in the stomach. The other man raised his arm out to stab her, as she caught his arm underneath her shoulder and gave it a hard twist. The shorter man cried out in pain, as he dropped his knife, his arm now hanging at a strange angle. Kali sent a hard kick his way, pushing him onto his back. The next second the taller man was lunging at her, shoving her harshly into the nearby alley wall. He punched her roughly, her head banging against the wall. As he tried to land another punch, Kali kneed him in the crotch as he howled in pain. Grabbing him by the back of his head, she slammed his head into the wall, as he dropped to the floor, unconscious. Leaning down she picked up the other man's knife, who was starting to crawl away._

 _"W-wait…stop!" He cried, as she crawled on top of his back and pulled him up by his hair._

 _"Hmm, I don't think I will. Maybe I'll carve something pretty on_ _ **your**_ _face" Kali repeated his earlier words, as she placed the knife against his cheek._

 _She rolled her eyes as the man began to sob, as she decided enough was enough. She pulled the blade away, and instead slammed the man's head into the ground, hearing a snap. With a smirk, she saw that she had broken his nose and stepped away, throwing the knife into a nearby bin. She came to a halt as she turned around to see a man standing at the end of the alleyway, his mouth slack in shock. Kali's eyes trailed down to the two men's bodies on the floor, as she racked her mind for something to say._

 _"Uh…he did it?" Kali exclaimed, pointing to the man slumped up against the wall._

 _"You want to try that again?" The man chuckled, as he approached Kali._

 _"…They were like that when I found them" Kali shrugged, as the man let out a hearty laugh._

 _"Your hurt" The man stated, pointing to her cheek._

 _She grimaced as she touched her cheek, pulling her hand away to find some blood there. Great, now she was going to have to walk the streets with coke in her bag and a bloody face._

 _"It's just a scratch" Kali shrugged, taking a closer look at the man._

 _She didn't recognise him and wondered what he was even doing down the alleyway. His clothes were in better condition than most who lived in the area, and the watch he wore probably cost more than a year's rent. Why would—_

 _She was distracted from her thoughts as the man raised his hand and touched her cheek lightly, making her flinch away from his touch. She wasn't used to people choosing to touch her. They all acted like she was a bomb that was seconds away from going off._

 _"Sorry…you should really get that cleaned up" The man told her, backing up a step when he saw how uncomfortable she looked._

 _"I'm sure I'll live" Kali muttered, as she went to walk past him._

 _"You could have a concussion. That dick hit you pretty hard" The man pointed out, following her._

 _"Seriously, I'm fine" Kali insisted, not stopping in her pace._

 _"Are you always this stubborn?" The man questioned, as she mulled it over._

 _"Pretty much" Kali admitted._

 _"Well, I've got some bad news for you" The man replied, as she turned to look at him._

 _"And what's that?" Kali asked, intrigued._

 _"I'm pretty stubborn too" He smirked._

* * *

 _"So…you went in that store to get me a plaster and you come out with ice cream?" Kali exclaimed, as she watched him cross the road, to where she was sitting on brick wall._

 _"They're magnums actually" He retorted, coming to sit beside her._

 _"Ah, well that makes perfect sense then" Kali laughed, as he placed the cold packet against her cheek._

 _"To help with the swelling and…" He exclaimed, opening the other end of the packet and pulling out one of the ice creams._

 _"Because you need a pick-me-up" He suggested, handing her the ice cream._

 _"You make a habit of buying food for girls you meet on the street…?" Kali trailed off, clearly asking for his name._

 _"Billy…and no, only the pretty ones" He smirked, as she looked away with an amused scoff._

"He was a flirt from day one then?" Sawyer stated, as Kali laughed.

"Big time. He gave me his number and…I don't know, I guess I was flattered. Lonely? We became friends. Hell, he was my only friend. He helped me get my first real job, got me back on my feet. He was the one who suggested that I could be a nurse…but I didn't really believe it back then. I was too screwed up, too poor, but he wouldn't give up. Drove me to all the interviews, got me all the stuff I needed. Only one University accepted me, and it was a shit one don't get me wrong but...it was the first time in my life that I felt like things were getting better, you know? That things could be good. And it was all because of him. My goddamn knight in shining armour" Kali went on, a dark look in her eyes.

"So, nothing really ever happened between you two?" Sawyer frowned, not quite believing it.

"Not at first. Not from his side at least. I mean, I had a crush on him basically from day one. What can I say, I was seventeen-" Kali was quickly cut off by Sawyer.

"Seventeen?! So, this guy was going after you when you were jailbait?" Sawyer scoffed.

"It wasn't like that, nothing happened until I was eighteen" Kali mumbled.

 _"This is insane. Who did you kill to get us up here?" Kali queried, as she looked over the edge of the roof._

 _Her eighteenth birthday had come around quickly. Billy had kept his plans very close to his chest, blindfolding her once they got closer to their destination. When he had told her, he was taking her to London, she had never expected to end up on top of one of the skyscrapers, looking down at the bustling streets below._

 _"I wanted this birthday to be special" Billy shrugged, as he came to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist._

 _"I think you've managed that" Kali giggled, almost mesmerised by the lights of the city._

 _She had never been to London before, and had certainly never stepped foot in a skyscraper. Her grin widened as Billy produced a bottle of champagne in his hands._

 _"Oh shit, I can legally drink now! Next thing you know I'll be getting my driving license" Kali announced, as Billy poured out the champagne for her._

 _"Now that is a scary thought" Billy teased, handing her the glass._

 _"…Thank you. For all of this. I seriously couldn't have asked for a better birthday" Kali smiled at him, taking a sip of the drink._

 _"And I haven't even given you your present yet" Billy stated, with a mischievous look in his eyes._

 _"Oh yeah?" Kali grinned, taking a step closer._

 _Her eyes trailed down as he pulled something out of his pocket and took her hand in his own. She frowned as he placed something on her palm, and realised it was a key._

 _"Is this supposed to be a metaphor thing…?" Kali inquired, tilting her head._

 _"More like a 'will you move in with me' kind of thing" Billy admitted, as Kali's eyes widened._

 _"…Are you serious?" Kali questioned, watching him nod with a bright smile._

 _The next second she was flinging herself into his arms, as he almost fell backwards from the impact. Billy pulled her closer, and spun her around a little, making her giggle lightly. As they pulled away, Kali was grinning from ear to ear. No one ever wanted her. No one even cared. But Billy did. She was sure of it. Before she knew what she was doing, Kali leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. She felt him freeze against her, his hands going slack against her waist. Just when she thought she had made the biggest mistake of her life, she felt him kiss her back. It only lasted a few seconds, but he had kissed her back._

 _"Wait…wait, what are you doing?" Billy questioned, pulling back._

 _"What does it look like?" Kali replied, her arms still wrapped around his shoulders._

 _"This can't happen, K. It's…it's wrong" Billy told her, averting his gaze from her questioning eyes._

 _"It didn't feel wrong to me" Kali stated, making Billy sigh._

 _"You're my friend. I don't want to ruin that" Billy replied, as Kali shook her head._

 _"I like you, Billy. A lot…and you can lie as much as you want, but I know you feel the same way. I know" Kali insisted, bringing her hand down to cup his cheek._

 _"This won't work" Billy exclaimed, still refusing to meet her eyes._

 _"Why not?" Kali asked, confused._

 _"I'm not good for you" Billy informed her, making the younger girl roll her eyes._

 _"That's bullshit! You're the best thing that's ever happened to me-" Kali began, but he quickly cut her off._

 _"I'll break your heart. There are things about me…things I've done-" Billy announced, his eyes finally connecting with hers._

 _"I don't care…" Kali trailed off, stepping onto her tiptoes as she kissed him again._

 _This time Billy didn't hold back, and instead pulled her closer to him, running his hand through her hair. Kali smiled into the kiss, as everything else faded away but his lips touching hers._

"Not too bad as far as first kisses go" Kali mumbled, as Sawyer's eyes widened.

"So apart from him…you've never kissed anyone off this island?" Sawyer questioned, reading between the lines.

"Like I said before, not many people lining up to kiss a serial killer's sister" Kali shrugged.

"Maybe you just never noticed" Sawyer muttered, confusing Kali.

"What do you mean?" She frowned.

"You don't think anyone could want you?" Sawyer realised, as Kali scoffed lightly.

"Why would I? The only guy that ever cared about me was just using me…" Kali trailed off, as she began to tell him one of her most painful memories.

 _"Did you leave the lights on?" Billy inquired, as they stopped outside his apartment and could see light shining underneath the door._

 _Kali shook her head slowly, seeing Billy's hand instantly go to his back, hiking up the back of his shirt. Her eyes almost popped out of her head when she saw him pull a gun out._

 _"What the hell, Billy?! Where did you get a gun-" Kali began, but he quickly shushed her by bringing a finger to his lips._

 _Cautiously, he unlocked the door and swung it open, as he and Kali stayed on either side of the doorframe. With his gun raised, he quickly entered the apartment and began to survey his surroundings. Kali's heart dropped when she spotted who the intruder was, a gun in his own hand, from where he was sitting comfortably on their couch. The last person in the world she wanted to see…her brother._

 _"Sorry I missed your eighteenth, Kali. What can I say…I've been busy" Ken announced, as Kali's eyes stayed trained on the gun that hung loosely on his leg._

 _"What the hell are you doing here?" Kali frowned, as she saw Billy lower his gun._

 _"I brought you a present, better late than never, huh?" Ken stated, as he raised the gun towards her._

 _"Look, whatever's going on…it's between me and you. Just let him Billy, he has nothing to do with this…" Kali trailed off, as her brother started laughing almost manically._

 _"You really don't know, do you? Are you gonna' tell her Billy, or should I?" Ken questioned, turning to Billy._

 _"What's he talking about?" Kali inquired, her eyes darting between the two._

 _"_ _ **Billy!**_ _What's he talking about?" Kali insisted, as a sickening feeling settled in her stomach._

 _"I…I never meant for things to go this far" Billy began, guilt clear on his face._

 _"You know him?" Kali asked, still not understanding what was happening._

 _"He works for me. I sent him to befriend, find your weak spots, get close to you…looks like he did better than I was ever expecting" Ken pointed out, raising an eyebrow at Billy._

 _"You…did you know who I was when we first met?" Kali questioned, as Billy averted his gaze._

 _"Know who you were? He set the whole thing up, Kali. He paid those men to attack you. He was going to sweep in to save you, but of course your no damsel in distress" Ken explained, as Billy glared at him angrily._

 _Kali felt like her whole world was coming crashing down around her, as all the red flags she had ever seen when it came to Billy flashed before her. How could she have been so stupid? It had all been a game, a sick game that it looked like she had just lost._

 _"Kali, please…just let me explain-" Billy exclaimed, as he reached out for her._

 _"Don't fucking touch me! Stay away from me!" Kali cried, batting away his hands._

 _"I never meant to hurt you, please I…I need you to believe me" Billy exclaimed, as Kali turned away from him._

 _"Believe you?! Why would I ever believe another word out of your mouth? All of this has been a lie!" Kali screeched._

 _"No, not all of it. I still…you know how I feel about you" Billy told her, with sad eyes._

 _"_ _ **Don't!**_ _Just…don't" Kali spat out, hatred burning in her eyes._

 _"You said that you didn't care about what I had done" Billy stated, as Kali scoffed harshly._

 _"Well, I guess I'm a liar too" Kali retorted, hatefully._

 _"I can make this right if you just give me the chance" Billy begged._

 _"Tell me why. Why did you go through all this? What was the point?_ _ **Why?!**_ _" Kali shouted as she shoved him in the chest, causing him to stumble backwards._

 _"My thoughts exactly. I told you to get close to her…not this. Last I heard from you, she still didn't trust you, her walls were too hard to take down. So…imagine my surprise when I hear you've moved in together. Now, what am I supposed to think of that, Bill?" Ken exclaimed._

 _"You're wrong about her. She'll understand. If you just tell her the truth-" Billy began, as Ken shot upright from where he had been lounging on the couch._

 _"Don't you dare say another word. She already knows too much!" Ken told him, looking like he was ready to snap._

 _"We can find another way" Billy replied, with pleading eyes._

 _"There is no other way" Ken exclaimed, as Kali's eyes darted between the pair in confusion._

 _Suddenly a loud bang silenced them all, as Kali's ears rang from the sound. She stumbled backwards a few steps, feeling like the wind had just been pushed out of her lungs. She let out a shaky breath as she felt something a burning pain in her stomach and saw blood beginning to stain her shirt. Kali let out a cry as she realised she had been shot, her breathing becoming erratic with panic. Kali's eyes snapped back up to Ken's, surprise in his own eyes as if he was surprised by his own actions. He legs quickly buckled from under her, as the burning pain began to spread through her body._

 _"_ _ **NO!**_ _" Billy cried, rushing forward to grab her before she fell to the floor._

 _He helped to carefully lower her to the ground, his hands shaking as he pressed against the bleeding wound on her stomach. Blood seeped over his fingers, as Kali moaned in pain. Billy reached behind her back and sighed in relief when he felt an exit wound._

 _"Let her die, Bill" Ken called over to them, as Billy pulled away to see Kali becoming drowsy._

 _"Shut up! Kali? Kali, can you hear me?!" Billy insisted, patting her face lightly, as her eyes shot open._

 _She didn't want to die. She really didn't want to die. She pushed to keep her eyes open, trying to focus on the arms wrapped around her. She needed a plan._

 _"Yeah…I hear you" Kali replied, her hand going to her boot._

 _Suddenly Kali's hand shot forward, a pocketknife now in her hand as she slammed it into Billy's neck. He let out a cry, his hand instantly trying to grab the weapon, but Kali was too quick. She ripped it away from his neck a second later, as blood began to dribble down his shoulder. She could see Ken rushing forward in her peripheral vision and placed the blade against Billy's throat._

 _"Drop your gun!" She warned, but her brother showed no sign of complying._

 _"I said drop your gun…or I kill him" Kali exclaimed, pressing the blade harder against the thin skin of his neck._

 _"You won't do it. You never would, you coward" Ken sneered, taking another step forward._

 _Kali's eyes snapped down when she felt something being pressed into her other hand. Her eyes widened when she saw it was Billy's gun, as he placed it in her palm. She looked back up at him, getting a quick nod in response, his brown eyes boring into her own._

 _"I guess you don't know me so well" Kali announced, raising her arm up in one quick motion and pulling the trigger._

 _Before Ken could react the bullet had hit him in the chest, the impact almost pushing him off his feet. Never one to give up, as began to fall backwards, he raised his gun up to shot Kali. She had seen this coming and sent another bullet his way, throwing him off balance, as the gun dropped to the ground beside him. Kali shakily pushed herself to her feet, as she stumbled towards him, knowing better than to turn her back on her brother. She kicked his gun across the room, her own gun raised at his head, while her other hand was pressed against her bleeding abdomen._

 _"Do it…" Ken mumbled, blood starting to seep out of his own bullet wounds._

 _"You're not worth it, Ken. You're beneath me" Kali retorted, slamming her heel into his head, effectively knocking him out._

 _As she turned around her vision began to blur, her knees once again threatening to give out. She was losing too much blood. She needed to get out of the apartment. Fast. Her whole body was beginning to shake, the pain that sparked throughout her whole body making it feel like she couldn't breathe. She stumbled forward, seeing that Billy had passed out, as blood pooled underneath his body._

 _"B-billy?" Kali stuttered as she dropped to her knees beside him._

 _She reached out to feel his pulse and was glad to feel a steady beat underneath her fingertips. He most likely had passed out from shock, but he was losing more blood than she had planned. Without medical assistance, he wasn't going to make it._

 _"Billy?" Kali repeated, placing her hand against his cheek, but he didn't stir._

 _With a shake of her head, she slowly stood up, knowing she needed to leave. She didn't know how long her brother would be out for, and when he woke up…he'd be pissed. With one quick look back, she stumbled towards the front door and pushed it open. Blood was smeared over the walls as she leaned on them for support, with more black dots coating her vision. She rushed down the stairs as quickly as she could, breathing a sigh of relief when she made it out of the building. She wrapped the leather jacket she was wearing closer, as she walked down the alleyway. Kali looked down at her hands, feeling like she was going to be sick. They were coated with blood. And not just hers. Billy's._

 _"I don't care…I don't care" She muttered, shaking her head._

 _By the time she made it to the end of the alleyway, she had her phone in her hands, calling 999 before knew what she was doing. She couldn't let him die. She just couldn't._

 _"Emergency. Which services do you require?" The operator questioned._

 _"T-there's been an attack. Please hurry, I…they need help…" Kali trailed off, before telling the operator her address before hanging up._

"I made it onto a train going out of town before I passed out. Someone must have called an ambulance…next thing I knew I was waking up in a hospital fifty miles away. I said it was just a mugging…Case closed" Kali mumbled, rubbing at her eyes lightly.

"Jesus, Kali…" Sawyer trailed off, not sure what to say.

"I know. I am screwed up on a whole other level" Kali scoffed, as he reached out to place his hand over hers.

"I was going to say strong" Sawyer told her, as Kali's eyes softened.

"I've never told anyone what happened…hell, I try not to think about it myself" Kali admitted.

"After everything he did, and you still called help for them? Why?" Sawyer inquired.

As Kali opened her mouth to reply, she watched as Sawyer's eyes snapped up to something behind her. The pure hatred in his eyes caused her to whip her head around, finding the last person she wanted to see. Billy was standing there, a shocked expression on his face, as she wondered how much he had heard. There was another emotion in Billy's eyes. Hope.

" ** _You son of a bitch!_** " Sawyer exclaimed, on his feet in an instant.

In the next second, he had lunged at Billy, shoving him into a nearby wall, his arm pressing against the other man's throat. Kali had never seen Sawyer look so angry, the adrenaline pumping through his veins making him forget his injuries.

"Kali, get this guy off me before I do something I regret" Billy warned, his hands balled into fists at his side.

"Sawyer…let him go" Kali announced, pushing herself to her feet.

"You hurt someone I care about, that's not a safe place to stand, pal" Sawyer warned Billy, his arm pressing tighter against his throat.

"Sawyer, c'mon. He's not worth it" Kali insisted, placing her hand against Sawyer's good shoulder.

"Stay away from her" Sawyer spat out, as he reluctantly pulled away a moment later.

Kali moved to place his good arm over her shoulder, as she helped lead him away, not bothering to spare a glance at the other man. Billy watched the pair wander over to their friends, with a sigh, banging his head against the wall roughly. He had fucked everything up.

"What was that all about?" Michael inquired, as Kali kneeled to help Sawyer sit on the ground beside them.

"We need to make a prison break" Sawyer muttered, as Kali looked at him in confusion.

"He's not just going to let us go" Kali pointed out.

"Exactly. Guy's still clearly got a thing for you" Michael stated, as Sawyer and Kali turned to glare at him.

"Hey Michael, do me a favour, huh?" Kali exclaimed.

"Yeah?" Michael questioned, confused.

"Shut the hell up" Kali replied, making Sawyer chuckle.

* * *

Once morning had rolled around, they were all quickly tasked with gathering supplies for their road ahead. Sawyer had to stay at the bunker, his injuries meaning he needed to reserve his strength as much as possible. Of course, Kali volunteered to stay with him. She quickly regretted this when Billy stated he, and one of the other women, a stewardess from the flight, would be staying too.

"You keep glaring at him like that and you'll get wrinkles" Kali announced, from where she was sitting on a log beside Sawyer.

"I was hoping if I stare hard enough he might burst into flames" Sawyer muttered, as Kali snorted.

"I've been thinking about your prison break plan. It might work" Kali whispered, leaning close to him.

"How?" Sawyer asked, turning to face her.

"If I can get his gun-" Kali began, but Sawyer quickly cut her off.

"And how do you think you're gonna' do that?" Sawyer inquired, as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"No. No way" Sawyer replied, realising what she was suggesting.

"Oh c'mon. What's the harm? I just flirt with him a little, get his guard down-" Kali began, but Sawyer cut her off once again.

"I don't want you even breathing the same air as this guy, let alone getting up close and personal" Sawyer retorted, as Kali gave him a teasing grin.

"If I didn't know any better…I'd think you were jealous" Kali blurted out before she could stop herself.

"Jealous of what? You and him? Y'all make Romeo and Juliet seem like a healthy relationship" Sawyer told her, as Kali scoffed.

"Oh, and you're a poster boy for healthy relationships, right?" Kali teased.

"Relationships are overrated. There are much more enjoyable things I'd prefer to be doing with my time" Sawyer grinned at her, watching as she blushed lightly.

"Would you two get a room?" Billy announced, having snuck up on the two without them realising.

"How about you just leave?" Sawyer shot back, as the two men continued to glare at each other for a few moments.

"Better yet…I'll go" Kali stated, pushing herself to her feet and walking away.

"Where do you think you're going?" Billy called after her.

"To have a piss, you want to watch?" Kali retorted as Billy rolled his eyes.

"Some things never change" Billy mumbled to himself, finding that Kali was as bitchy as ever.

"Trust me, pretty boy. She has changed" Sawyer informed him, as Kali disappeared into the treeline.

"Well, her standards clearly have" Billy exclaimed.

"You think you're better than me? After what you did?! You just wait until my shoulder heals up-" Sawyer began, but Billy quickly cut him off.

"Will it?... Heal up, I mean? You need antibiotics or you're not gonna' last much longer" Billy stated, almost threateningly.

"You'd love that, wouldn't you? Get Kali all to yourself? She'll never go back to you" Sawyer informed him.

"You don't think I know that? You know nothing about me" Billy insisted.

"Kali's told me enough. You're a coward who'd sell out his own mother-" Sawyer started, but Billy cut him off.

"My mother's dead. My dad too" Billy admitted.

"You kill em?" Sawyer questioned, as Billy gave him a cold look.

"Of course I bloody didn't...Let's just say Kali and I have a lot in common, mate" Billy muttered.

"I've had bad things happen to me too. Didn't turn me into a sociopath, ' ** _mate'_** " Sawyer accused, putting on a lame English accent when he said the last word.

"Do you…do you have any idea how hard it was lying to her? The decisions that I had to make?! All I've ever done is try to look out for her" Ken told him.

"If you care about her so much, then why not tell her from the start, huh? Why betray her?" Sawyer questioned.

"You're right. I do care about her, but Ken…I owe him everything. He's like a brother to me" Billy stated.

"Some brother" Sawyer scoffed.

"I know why you hate me so much" Billy announced, as Sawyer's eyes snapped up to his.

"I think we've already covered why" Sawyer pointed out.

"No. The real reason. You hate me…because you're just like me. So from one con man to another, don't make the same mistakes I did" Billy explained, before walking away, leaving Sawyer to his thoughts.

Somehow the words that other man spoke hurt more than his shoulder wound. He didn't want to hurt Kali, but it's what he did. He hurt people he cared about, always had. Sawyer's head snapped up as he heard a twig snap in the distance, expecting to see Kali returning. He frowned when no one came out of the treeline. His frown deepened when he noticed how quiet the jungle suddenly sounded. Someone was watching him; he could practically feel the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Just as he was about to call out to warn the others, he felt someone touch his shoulder. He whipped his head around, ready for a fight when he saw it was only Kali, having come back a different way. He looked back around, the feeling that he was being watched no longer there. Had he been imagining it?

"You alright?" Kali inquired, seeing how freaked out the older man was.

"Yeah…I just thought...it's nothing. Don't worry" Sawyer replied, with a shake of his head.

* * *

 **Author's Notes** : Hi everyone! I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone's who's took the time to read this story and leave reviews. It's amazing how much love there still is for a show that ended almost a decade ago. I just really wanted to take a minute and show my gratitude for all the support I've got with this story. You guys are awesome! I wrote this extra-long chapter as a little birthday treat to myself, as it's my birthday in a couple of days. With the state the world is in at the moment, I hope this story can continue to help your forget about it all for just a little while, as it does for me when I'm writing it. Kali's backstory is definitely as dramatic as she is. Sorry if you're not a fan of flashbacks, but sometimes it's unavoidable. Just imagine it was an episode centred around Kali, haha. What do you all think of Billy after this chapter? Enjoy the update:)

scripturient3201: It's going to be a lot of fun seeing how Billy changes the dynamic between Sawyer and Kali, that's for sure. Lots more of Kali being pissed off with Ana too, haha. Aww, sometimes I think that as well! Please leave a review:)

carmelitajones: Aw, thank you so much! This review really cheered me up, it was so nice to read. I hope you like this chapter:)

Kz4: Kali, Sawyer and Billy will continue to kick Ana's ass for a long time, haha. I'll be really interested to see what you think of Billy now, but I plan to delve more into his past to show why he's so loyal to Kali's brother. Sawyer and Kali have definitely become each other's priority without even realising it. Thank you so much, I hope you stay healthy too:)

Apoka: Billy will certainly try his best to cause problems between the pair, that's for sure. You were right about there being a lot more to the story. I think most of the island is shipping Kali/Sawyer at this point, haha. Thanks for reviewing:)

DrLexieSloan: Kali is definitely a mood, haha. Kali will keep putting Ana in her place almost every chapter, that I can promise. Billy will make things a lot more interesting as Sawyer is going to have some unwanted competition now. It'll be fun seeing how everyone reacts to him back at the camp. Thank you, stay safe too:)


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